Ohio lawmakers push Air Force to base new planes at Rickenbacker Air Base

Ohio Statehouse (Photographer: Dave Gapinski, WEWS)
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Posted: 03/06/2013

By: Jesse Folk, WCPO Digital

COLUMBUS - Ohio lawmakers are lobbying the Air Force to base a fleet of aircraft at the Rickenbacker Air Guard station.

On Wednesday, the state House of Representatives voted unanimously to pass House Concurrent Resolution No. 5. The resolution urges the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force to consider the air base as the location for the KC-46A main operating base.

"The entire Ohio senate and congressional delegation has come together to urge the Air Force to consider the Rickenbacker Air Base,” state Rep. Heather Bishoff, D-Blacklick. “I look forward to the Ohio House and Senate joining our colleagues in Congress to help bring more funding and jobs to the State of Ohio.”

Rickenbacker is one of five sites listed as finalists for the 12 new aircraft that will replace the Air Force’s aging KC-135.

State lawmakers are joined in the push by Speaker of the House John Boehner and Senators Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman.

In the bill, lawmakers praised the members of the 121 ^st Air Refueling Wing for their service.

The Ohio National Guard endorsed the resolution.

To read HCR No. 5 in its entirety, click here: h ttp://www.legislature.state.oh.us/ResolutionText130/130_HCR_5_I_Y.pdf .