THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

         PRESIDENT NAMES ALAN DIXON CHAIRMAN OF THE DEFENSE BASE 
                   CLOSURE AND REALIGNMENT COMMISSION

     The President today intends to nominate Alan Dixon, former U.S.

Senator of Illinois, to be Chairman of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission.

"I am pleased to nominate Alan Dixon to the Defense Base Closure Realignment Commission. His record of dedicated public service, extensive background in defense matters, and tested leadership will contribute greatly to the valuable work of this commission," the President said. "I look forward to his confirmation."

Presently a senior partner in the corporate and business department of the St. Louis based law firm of Bryan Cave, Mr. Dixon has given 43 years of his career to public service. He has served as Belleville Police Magistrate, Illinois Secretary of State, Illinois State Treasurer, a U.S. Representative and a U.S. Senator. During his two terms as U.S. Senator from Illinois, he held positions on the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee; the Small Business Committee; and the Armed Services Committee. Mr. Dixon chaired the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, which oversees 38 percent of the United States defense budget. The Subcommittee on Readiness was one of those responsible for making sure the U.S. manpower and weapons systems employed in the Persian Gulf were adequate to the task.

Alan Dixon was born July 7, 1927 in Belleville, Illinois. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois in 1949 and earned a law degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1949. He and his wife, Jody, reside in Belleville and have three children and seven grandchildren.

The Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission is responsible for providing a fair process that will result in the timely closure or realignment of U.S. military institutions that are no longer a priority or need to be changed.

-30-30-30-