Bid to Curtail Base Closings Process Possible

Among the proposals that may be generated by committees considering the DoD bill-especially on the House side-are ideas to limit the DoD base closing process that is now gearing up toward having a special commission review Pentagon proposals and make a final recommendation next year. Many in Congress remain reluctant to get the process started, arguing that the effects of prior rounds of closings are still working through the system and that future needs are in flux due to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Proposals could arise to: delay the entire process by a year or two; require that DoD wall off a certain percentage of bases from consideration for closing or realignment; impose certain criteria on the consideration process; or require that a certain percentage of capacity beyond the current needs be kept. DoD opposed similar proposals in the past and likely would do so again. It estimates that it has 24 percent excess capacity despite the prior rounds of closings.