FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 8, 2005
CONTACT: Kevin Schweers
SENATOR HUTCHISON: BRAC IMPACT TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED
Secretary Rumsfeld tells Senator troops returning from overseas to benefit U.S. bases
WASHINGTON, DC -- During a Tuesday morning meeting at the Pentagon, U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld told Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) and Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) that the adverse impact of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process on U.S. military bases will be significantly reduced due to foreign reassignments to domestic bases.
“Today’s news from Secretary Rumsfeld provides concrete evidence the Pentagon is approaching the BRAC process with an updated worldview,” Sen. Hutchison said. “We must look at our overseas bases first and assess the impact of their realignment for the War on Terror. Protecting our homeland is the ultimate priority for our military – a task much more likely to succeed when our military is based at home.”
As Chairman of the Senate Military Construction Appropriations Subcommittee, Sen. Hutchison has consistently urged the Department of Defense to overhaul America’s global base alignment, which has retained a sizable presence in Europe and Asia, despite the end of the Cold War and beginning of the War on Terror. Nearly two years ago, Sen. Hutchison successfully convinced Congress to establish an Overseas Basing Commission (OBC), to give the same scrutiny to overseas bases that those in Texas will face in the upcoming 2005 BRAC. The effort has been successful.
The Pentagon focused on Europe and Korea and subsequently announced last year that at least 70,000 U.S. troops are scheduled for recall to U.S. bases – with some headed to Texas bases.
At its first hearing, the OBC heard that if the Pentagon returns 29,000 soldiers from Germany – approximately two divisions – we would save up to $575 million annually and give our troops far better training capabilities and opportunities. The panel will provide a report later this year in advance of the domestic BRAC recommendations to provide the BRAC commissioners with a more comprehensive perspective.
“Because the foreign-based troops are being redeployed back to this country, the impact of BRAC on U.S. facilities this year will be reduced,” Sen. Hutchison said after her meeting with Secretary Rumsfeld. “The precise impact is difficult to measure at this time, but previous estimates will have to be adjusted as the redeployment from overseas to domestic bases occurs. Our military men and woman are coming home, and they will need bases at which to work and live.”
“This is great news for Texas bases and the communities surrounding them,” Sen. Hutchison added. “Texas offers our military unparalleled training capabilities, ample airspace, fewer restrictions on operations and supportive communities – providing the Pentagon a far better value than overseas facilities offer.”
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