Base Closings Process Gearing Up

The naming of members of the 2005 Defense Department base closings commission is just the first step in what promises to be long process. The Pentagon is due to propose by May 16 a list of facilities it recommends for closure or realignment. The list then will be passed on to the commission, which by September 8 must send its findings to President Bush, who within two weeks from then must indicate whether he approves or disapproves of the recommendations. If approved, the recommendations are binding 45 legislative days later, unless Congress acts by then to reject the package in its entirety—legislation that would be subject to a presidential veto. If Bush disapproves the commission’s recommendation, the commission would have to submit revised recommendations by October 20 and Bush then would have to either approve the revised list or let the process die.