Legislators concerned by potential shortfalls in base closure funding

By Daniel Pulliam dpulliam@govexec.com April 5, 2006

Congressional appropriators expressed concern Wednesday that there will be a lack of funding for the military services to implement recommendations reached through the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process.

Successful implementation will require a hefty financial commitment, but fiscal pressures could reduce the funding available, said Rep. James Walsh, R-N.Y., chairman of the House Appropriations Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee, at a hearing.

Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas, ranking member of the subcommittee, said he is concerned that the real BRAC costs will be significantly higher than originally estimated.

Implementation of the 182 base closure and realignment recommendations made by a nine-member panel is expected to save the military $4.2 billion annually, but an estimated $21 billion is needed for the effort, most of which will go toward construction. The Defense Department is budgeting $18.3 billion.

All BRAC recommendations, which include closing 22 major military facilities and realigning another 33, must by law be carried out by September 2011. Fiscal 2006 appropriations for BRAC totaled $1.5 billion, and the Pentagon has requested $5.6 billion for fiscal 2007.

The Navy has financed its BRAC implementation fully and in fiscal 2010 the savings from its effort are expected to exceed the costs, said B.J. Penn, assistant Navy secretary for installations and environment.

Both Army and the Air Force officials told lawmakers that their budget needs were met in fiscal 2006 appropriations and in the fiscal 2007 budget request.

But looking out through fiscal 2011, the Army projects a shortfall of $6 billion to $8 billion in funds necessary to carry out the BRAC recommendations and implement plans to make units smaller and more flexible, said Keith Eastin, assistant Army secretary for installations and environment, in testimony.

The Air Force projects a shortfall of nearly $2 billion for BRAC implementation through fiscal 2011, said William Anderson, Air Force assistant secretary for installations, environment and logistics.

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COMMENTS

  • No sympathy from me for this BRAC budget crunch. Our bases' technical contributions to GWOT were ignored in the end. It's screwed me and my 80-year-old parents who can't move with me; their last years will be in loneliness. As a recourse I hope natural disasters continue to ravage this country mercilessly and throw us into national bankruptcy. It's working so far. Interesting how Katrina hit just a week or so after the final BRAC decisions? Angry Posted April 8, 2006 9:46 PM
  • Who the heck plans these budgets? At my level, I get the rollover all the time about my DoD budget. If I don't have every penny accounted for, my budget gets cut. Where does the DoD budget go? Some bottomless hole somewhere? Phil Posted April 6, 2006 12:52 AM
  • Senate, Congress and American people, let’s face it: Bush and Rummy make a mistake. Let's stop this BRAC crap and concentrate on the borders and the illegals. GovExec.com reader Posted April 6, 2006 8:13 AM
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