Rep. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and Rep. Norman D. Dicks (D-WA) were honored during the Air Force Association's 1998 National Convention and Technology Exposition, held Sept. 14-16, in Washington, DC, for being "highly effective in using the Caucus to inform their colleagues about air and space issues and to help gain support for important programs that will assure America's aerospace excellence for decades to come."

The nonpartisan Air Power Caucus was formed in January 1997 to provide its members a forum to advocate the relevance of air power in each of the military services and to educate their colleagues on the role of air power in the nation's defense.

In accepting the award, Rep. Dicks said, "The creation of the Congressional Air Power Caucus was done on a very nonpartisan basis. We wanted to try to explain to the Congress, the American people, and, frankly, the Pentagon that air power plays an important role today, and, in the future, it will be even greater."

Rep. Chambliss said, "Many other service interests and priorities are very well- represented. But it concerned me greatly that, at least in the House, members seem to be increasingly out of touch with the importance of this nation's air power priorities."

Dicks, who serves on the Defense subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, noted that at a time when there are important programs before the Congress, including the F-22 fighter, the F/A-18 fighter, and the Joint Strike Fighter, there are inadequate resources being devoted to national defense. "We cannot cut this budget any further," he said. "We need to get real growth back in the defense budget."

Chambliss, who serves on the House National Security Committee, also emphasized the Caucus's role in raising awareness about the adverse effects of "pared-back resources" resulting from the balanced-budget environment. "The job of raising and supporting this nation's military is the most basic responsibility that we as representatives are called on to discharge in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution," he said.

The W. Stuart Symington Award is named after the first secretary of the Air Force. Past recipients include Presidents George Bush and Ronald Reagan, former Secretary of State George Shultz, former Secretaries of Defense William J. Perry and Caspar Weinberger, Senators Ted Stevens (R-AK) and John McCain (R-AZ), and Rep. Ike Skelton (D-MO).

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The Air Force Association is an independent, non-profit, civilian aerospace organization whose objective is to promote greater understanding of the role aerospace power plays in national defense. AFA is a grass-roots organization with a membership of 150,000. The Air Force Association was incorporated in the District of Columbia on February 4, 1946.

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