BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Sen. Barbara Mikulski told more than 220 at a BWI Business Partnership breakfast Tuesday, “we have been chosen by the United States of America to protect our country.”

The thousands of defense, national security and research jobs “come with good pay, health care and pensions,” but also could have negative impact if they lead to growth the state is not prepared to handle, the four-term Maryland Democrat said.

Some experts have said the sudden growth could increase local property taxes, clog roads and overwhelm education, water, sewerage and other public resources.

Mikulski pledged to get “Maryland’s fair share . . . we will make sure we are not neglecting needs around the state from BRAC impact to homeland security to the Bay.”

She said the future is “not about partisan politics, it’s about partnership politics.”

Mikulski, responding to enthusiastic applause, outlined Maryland’s legislative clout in Congress, including House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and several key House and Senate committee memberships, and economic impact of the pending federal Base Realignment and Closure process. The military realignment is expected to bring thousands of jobs to Maryland.

“When BRAC was on the horizon, we thought we were going to be losers,” Mikulski said. “Then team Maryland, including (then Rep., now Sen.) Ben Cardin hit the ground running,” to ensure the states existing defense resources were not ignored in political maneuvering.

She said “the November election is the closest thing to a national referendum this nation has seen in a long time,” and the Maryland delegation is going to “move BRAC forward, move a national agenda forward.”

Gov. Martin O’Malley, state General Assembly leadership and the Congressional delegation “are all on the same page.”

Mikulski told those gathered at the Four Corners Sheraton at Baltimore-Washington International/Thurgood Marshall Airport, “you are the turbo business organization, and you are in the turbo businesses of the economy.”

BWI Business Partnership Inc., is a 22-year-old nonprofit association of businesses based in the BWI corridor. According to the Partnership’s Vision 2006, that area includes 169 employers with nearly 37,000 employees near mass transit.

fkeegan@baltimoreexaminer.com