Panel Rejects S.F. Home Port for the Missouri

WASHINGTON — Sen. Pete Wilson (R-Calif.) Friday lost a last-ditch effort to save a Navy plan that would have based the battleship Missouri in San Francisco next year.

Senate members of a conference committee attempting to work out differences with their House counterparts on defense authorization legislation Friday turned down Wilson’s $11-million compromise proposal.

Earlier this week, conferees from both houses who were working on military construction provisions of the legislation had recommended against the Navy’s $22-million funding request to make San Francisco the big battleship’s home port.

San Francisco officials want to base the Missouri and a dozen support ships at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard because of the jobs that would be created and because of the estimated $100 million that would be added to the local economy. But California Rep. Ronald V. Dellums (D-Berkeley)--a long-time opponent of the Navy home-basing program, which would disperse the U.S. fleet among various ports--successfully argued against the move because he said he believes the economic benefits are exaggerated and strategic benefits for the nation are lacking.

Dellums also opposed the plan because he fears environmental damage from dredging that would be required.

Wilson said that while the Navy wants to base the Missouri in San Francisco, the funding defeat makes it likely that the ship will be based in Pearl Harbor. The Missouri is now based in Long Beach.