National Security Reform Program

Taxpayer Coaltion Letter to the House

Keep BRAC on Track for 2005

May 18, 2004

Dear Representative:

On behalf of the groups listed below, I write to express our strong support for the amendment being offered by Rep. Mark Kennedy (R-MN) and Rep. Vic Snyder (D-AR) to the FY05 National Defense Authorization Act, H.R. 4200 that would preserve the scheduled Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC). Unfortunately, the current version of the Defense Authorization bill contains a provision to delay the 2005 round of the BRAC process by two years. The 2005 BRAC round was authorized in the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2002.

The Department of Defense estimates that the 2005 BRAC round could yield at least $6-billion in annually recurring savings. A delay of two years, as envisioned by H.R. 4200, will unnecessarily cost taxpayers billions of dollars. This is money that could be put to better use improving the quality of life for our men and women in uniform, investing in new, modernized weapons systems, or it could be returned to overburdened taxpayers.

In a November 12, 2003 memo, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld outlined the urgent need for another round of base closings. Rumsfeld stated in part that, "BRAC 2005 can make a profound contribution to transforming the Department by rationalizing our infrastructure with defense strategy. BRAC 2005 should be the means by which we reconfigure our current infrastructure into one in which operational capacity maximizes both war fighting capability and efficiency." He went on to state, "I cannot overemphasize the importance of BRAC 2005. This effort requires the focus and prioritization only senior leadership can bring. I am confident we can produce BRAC recommendations that will advance transformation, combat effectiveness, and the efficient use of the taxpayers' money." Clearly, while our nation's military planners are searching for ways to get the most from the hundreds of billions of taxpayers' dollars our nation annually spends on defense, many in Congress are more concerned with keeping military bases open in their home districts - whether they are a military necessity or not.

Given huge annual budget deficits and spiraling costs associated with the war in Iraq, taxpayers expect Congress to put our national and economic security above pork-barrel spending projects in their home districts. Failure to act on a BRAC would only further burden taxpayers by giving big spenders yet another excuse to repeal the economically vital tax cuts of 2001 and 2003.

Votes in favor of the Kennedy-Snyder Amendment to follow through with the scheduled BRAC will be weighted in the annual ratings of Congress of the following groups.