Base Closing List Goes to Congress

President Bush has sent to Congress the base closings commission’s recommendations, which will go into effect unless Congress acts within 45 legislative days to block them. An amendment attempting to do so might be offered in the Senate during voting on the Defense Department authorization bill, which has been stalled for months over issues including the potential for action against the base closings list. If Congress doesn’t block the process, the recommendations, which include 22 major closures and 33 major realignments, plus less significant changes at more than 100 other locations, would take effect over roughly a six-year period.