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Obama Statement on Vote Against BRAC Commission Recommendations

Friday, September 30, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Obama Contact: Robert Gibbs or Tommy Vietor, (202) 228-5511
Illinois Contact: Julian Green, (312) 886-3506
Date: September 30, 2005

Obama Statement on Vote Against BRAC Commission Recommendations

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today issued the following statement about his decision to vote against the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) recommendations:

"I agree with the mission of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission. From time to time we as a nation need to re-evaluate our strategic and operational defense requirements. However, such re-evaluation must adhere to a clear set of criteria and the BRAC process must be transparent and fair. Unfortunately, the BRAC Commission failed to adhere to consistent criteria and some of its recommendations appear far from fair. As a result, the Commission has recommended some divisions with the highest military value in the nation for realignment or closure, while recommending departments with far lower military value remain open. Given the haphazard process by which some of the BRAC Commission's decisions appear to have been made, and the unfair treatment I believe the Rock Island Arsenal received in the BRAC process, I cannot support the Commission's recommendations. I will oppose the recommendations if they come to a vote."