Contact: Antonia Ferrier (202) 224-5344
Tuesday, July 19, 2005

WASHINGTON, DC- Acting Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England today responded to a request by Chairman of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission, Anthony Principi, for the Department of Defense (DoD) to provide additional information with regard to how they reached their base closure recommendations.

“In reviewing the information that the Department of Defense sent to the BRAC Commission today, they have provided no new facts, information or arguments to justify their recommendations for closure or realignment of Maine’s military facilities. Last week at the BRAC regional hearing in Boston, we systematically refuted these very arguments using the facts to clearly demonstrate how DoD substantially deviated from the selection criteria. We have continued to be in close and constant contact with the BRAC Commission staff to ensure that they have all the information they need from us regarding the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Naval Air Station Brunswick, and the Defense Financing and Accounting Service in Limestone, particularly as the Commission prepares to hear testimony from the Department of Defense in Washington,” Senator Olympia Snowe, Senator Susan Collins, Congressman Tom Allen, and Congressman Mike Michaud said in a joint statement today.

On July 1, 2005, Principi notified Maine’s congressional delegation that he was requesting additional information from the Department of Defense with regard to how it reached its recommendations. In his letter to delegation members, Principi wrote, “Based upon the data provided by the Department of Defense, the facts we gathered during our site visits and regional hearings, and comments we received from the public, the Commission believes it necessary to ask the Secretary of Defense to provide an explanation to [additional questions].”

Principi further wrote, “Please be assured that the Commission has not decided to close or realign any installations. Indeed, the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 states that before the Commission can even consider making any changes in the Secretary of Defense’s BRAC recommendations to add military installations for closure or realignment, it must seek an explanation from the Secretary on the reasons why he did not include such installations in his May 13 list.”

In addition, England announced today that Michael Wynne, Chairman of the Infrastructure Steering Group, will lead the panel that will appear before the BRAC Commission in Washington this Monday, July 18th to justify the Defense Department’s recommendations. In addition, General William Nyland, Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Michael Mosely, Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and Admiral Robert Willard, Vice Chief of Naval Operations will represent the Military Departments.

Also testifying will be the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Comptroller General regarding the GAO's analysis of the Department of Defense's 2005 selection process and recommendation for base closures and realignments as well as the Commission on Review of Overseas Military Facility Structure of the United States.

On Tuesday, July 19, the BRAC Commission will deliberate and vote on whether to consider certain base realignment and closure actions that were not included among the actions recommended by the Secretary of Defense on May 13, 2005.

Any action voted on by the Commissioners must pass with the super-majority of 7 of 9. Bases added for realignment or closure consideration will have had to have been visited by at least two Commissioners before the Commission issues its report to the President. There has to be public hearings on any proposed change to the recommendations. The Secretary of Defense will have 15 days to provide additional information and will be the subject of another regional field hearing allowed for the installation.

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