Rumsfeld sees fewer base closings in upcoming round
Defense secretary tells reporters that overcapacity is "less than half" the 20-25 percent previously reported.
Far fewer U.S. military bases are likely to be closed and realigned than originally foreseen, in part because of plans to shift tens of thousands of troops from Asian and European bases back to the United States, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said in a conference call Thursday with newspaper editorial writers around the country.
Rumsfeld said surplus base capacity is not as great as earlier estimated, the Associated Press reported. "Without final figures, I would say the percent will be less than half of the 20-25 percent that has been characterized previously," Rumsfeld said, according to two writers who were on the call.
Rumsfeld previously had predicted the upcoming round will result in less shrinkage than 20-25 percent, but he had not previously said it might be less than half that amount.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said in an interview today that in a February meeting, Rumsfeld told him and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, that about 15 percent of base capacity would be cut. Rumsfeld has until May 16 to recommend which domestic bases should be closed or realigned. His recommendations will then be considered by the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission.
Meanwhile, the fiscal 2005 wartime supplemental spending bill awaiting action by the Senate next week includes language requiring a report on the reuse and redevelopment of military installations affected by next round of closings.
Senate Armed Services Chairman John Warner, R-Va., originally proposed the requirement in the Senate last month. House and Senate conferees later included the language in the conference agreement. The House approved the conference report Thursday.
The redevelopment report likely will detail how the military will clear closed installations for other uses, as well as the department's plans and responsibilities for environmental clean-up and restoration.
Lawmakers have been particularly concerned about the reuse of closed bases, pressing BRAC Chairman Anthony Principi on the issue during his confirmation hearing in March. Roughly 140,000 acres slated for closure by the Defense Department during previous BRAC rounds have not been officially closed, primarily because of delays associated with environmental cleanup.