The day may come when any United States citizen must serve their country through the military, Peace Corps, or other organization upon their high school graduation or 18th birthday, said U. S. Senator Trent Lott, R-Miss.
Lott covers several issues in discussion
By Jason Niblett/Item Staff Writer
Friday, June 4, 2004 2:16 PM CDT
The day may come when any United States citizen must serve their country through the military, Peace Corps, or other organization upon their high school graduation or 18th birthday, said U. S. Senator Trent Lott, R-Miss.
Lott contacted the Picayune Item as part of a series of statewide editorial board meetings Thursday. During the interview, he touched on several issues of concern for people in Picayune, Pearl River County, and south Mississippi.
The first subject that Lott approached was national defense and Operation Enduring Freedom.
Lott said there is legislation being debated on whether the United States should close more bases as part of a massive base realignment.
"There is a possibility that there will be another base closure amendment," Lott said.
He said military bases overseas should be closed before the government cuts any domestic facilities.
"The Pentagon may not want to close the bases that could and should be closed," Lott said.
He said there are 110 military installations in Germany that employ about 100,000 U. S. military personnel.
"And for what?" Lott asked. "Who are they going to attack? France? Switzerland? The Soviet Union has been dissolved."
Lott said that he doesn't agree with any military base closures on U. S. soil.
"I don't think that we need to close military bases at this time. The timing is atrocious," Lott said.
Lott also said that he's against the reinstatement of a draft. He said an across the board requirement of some type of service would alleviate a need for the draft while taking care of other issues.
"I don't think there is any need for a return to the draft," Lott said. "We do need more people in the military."
Lott said that there has been some discussion of requiring every U.S. citizen to serve in the military, with the National Park Service, the Peace Corps, or other form of government service as options, at high school graduation or on turning 18. He also said this option hasn't been discussed seriously at this time.
Lott also said that it's time for President George W. Bush and the national leaders to stop high gas prices.
"The president needs to make it clear that this is a concern," Lott said. "Everybody is being hit. We should tell the OPEC countries, specifically Saudi Arabia, we expect an increase (in oil production)."
He said alternative forms of energy, such as nuclear energy and hydrogen as a fuel, will help lower gas prices. He said the United States currently imports more than 50 percent of oil products from foreign nations. He said drilling in the Gulf of Mexico off the Mississippi coast will benefit people.
The Stennis Space Center should be safe from budget cuts in the near future, Lott said.
"It's going to be pretty stable and maybe go up some," Lott said.
He said a diversity program at the space center will help the facility grow with the surrounding area and maintain jobs. He also said the center is strong in competing for future contracts that are in the works.
"We've got to figure out how we're going to pay for it," Lott said.
