GRAND FORKS (AP) - North Dakota U.S. Rep. Rick Berg says the Grand Forks Air Force Base can weather possible cuts to the nation's defense budget.
President Barack Obama wants Congress to bring back the Base Realignment and Closure commission as part of a budget-cutting effort.
Berg says the House won't approve an attempt to revive the commission. He tells the Grand Forks Herald that Congress should make the decisions on defense reductions.
In the last BRAC base closing round in 2005, the Grand Forks base lost its refueling tanker aircraft.
Berg says the Grand Forks base is well positioned for the future because it has unmanned aircraft, and the military is using more of them.
He says the Grand Forks base could also host new tanker planes when they're built.