Bill puts conditions on moving copters

In giving its final approval Friday to a massive defense bill, Congress made it difficult for the Pentagon to move rescue helicopters out of Fairchild Air Force Base next year.

Tucked into the Defense Authorization Conference Report – a bill designed to find common ground between the Senate and House of Representatives – is a special section on the helicopters of the base’s 36th Rescue Flight. It requires the Air Force secretary to study “search and rescue capabilities of the Air Force in the northwestern United States” and explain how it would replace those services if the rescue squadron is moved from Fairchild.

Law enforcement officials have said there is no other option for the kind of rescue services provided by the helicopter squadron, which is stationed at Fairchild for training students at the Air Force Survival School.

Members of both parties from the Washington and Idaho delegations initially proposed prohibiting a move, which passed the House but was killed in a Senate committee. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., then came up with the amendment calling for the study, which is designed to accomplish the same goal through different means, a spokeswoman said.

“They provide irreplaceable training for our men and women in uniform in live rescue hoists, parachute drops, and combat rescues, not to mention the critical search and rescue capabilities for the nation and Northwest communities,” Cantwell said in a statement after the bill passed the Senate.

The bill passed the House earlier this week. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., said she wished the Senate had agreed to the long-term solution in the original House proposal, but promised to fight any future effort to move the squadron.