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(Washington, D.C.) – Rep. Frank Pallone (NJ-06) and Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12) today asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate the process surrounding the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round regarding the need to close or consolidate research, development, testing and evaluation (RDT&E) facilities. The lawmakers continued to voice concern that the data DoD furnished to the Commission was both flawed and distorted, particularly with regard to Fort Monmouth. The lawmakers issued the following joint statement:
"Since 2005, we have maintained that the decision to close Fort Monmouth was based on incomplete and flawed information. Allegations raised by an expert inside the BRAC process raise the troubling possibility that information was cherry-picked for the BRAC Commission in order to reach a decision pre-ordained by the Department of Defense. We must find out what went wrong and how we can correct it.”
“In light of these serious allegations, we call on GAO to investigate fully:
- Whether DoD’s cost estimates on closing Fort Monmouth and moving its functions to Aberdeen Proving Ground were based on complete data;
- Whether the Army and/or DoD provided data designed to reach a predetermined conclusion;
- Whether DoD or Army officials acted illegally or inappropriately by providing false or misleading information to the BRAC Commission and Congress;
- Whether closure of Fort Monmouth will jeopardize DoD’s ability to support the troops in the field.
“Nobody wins if the normal BRAC process, which was designed to be apolitical, was short-circuited. We must ensure that this decision was reached with full and complete information, and that our warfighters will not be put in jeopardy.
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