JULY 30 (legislative day, JUNE 30), 1993.—Ordered to be printed Mr. NUNN, from the Committee on Armed Services, REPORT [To accompany S.J. Res. 114] The Committee on Armed Services to which was referred the resolution disapproving the recommendations of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission, having considered the same, reports unfavorably thereon and recommends that the resolution not pass. BACKGROUND The Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (title XXIX of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1991), as amended by the National Defense Authorization Acts for Fiscal Year 1992 and Fiscal Year 1993, establishes a procedure for Congressional consideration of the recommendations of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission, as submitted to Congress by the President. Under the Act, Presidential approved recommendations of the Commission take effect absent enactment of a resolution of disapproval. Such a resolution may be considered only if it is introduced within 10 days of the President's submission to Congress of the Commission's recommendations. If such a resolution is introduced, it is referred to the Committee on Armed Services. If the Committee on Armed Services does not act by the end of the 20day period beginning on the date on which the President transmits the Commission's recommendations to Congress, it is discharged from further consideration and the resolution is placed on the Senate calendar. Once placed on the Senate calendar, the Resolution 69-010 is subject to consideration under expedited procedures set forth in the Act. A timely resolution of disapproval, Senate Joint Resolution 114, was introduced by Senators Feinstein, Boxer, Hollings, Thurmond, D'Amato and Moynihan on July 20, and was referred to the Committee on Armed Services on the same date. COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS The Committee on Armed Services has closely monitored the base closure process. All of the milestones established by the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990, as amended, have been met: On December 10, 1992, the Secretary of Defense published the final selection criteria in the Federal Register. These criteria were identical to those used by the Department in 1991. On January 5, 1993, President Bush nominated the following eight individuals to serve on the 1993 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission: the Honorable James Courter, Chairman; Ambassador Robert Stuart; the Arthur Levitt, Jr; the Honorable Beverly Byron; Captain Peter Bowman, USN Retired; Mrs. Rebecca Cox; General Hansford T. Johnson, USAF Retired; and Mr. Harry McPherson. On January 7, the President appointed these same individuals to these positions while the Senate was in recess. On January 19, 1993, the Secretary of Defense submitted to Congress the Department's long-term force structure plan, which was based upon the Bush Base Force. On February 16, 1993, the Committee held a confirmation hearing on the individuals nominated by the President to serve on the Commission. They were confirmed by the Senate on February 23, 1993. Commissioner Levitt subsequently resigned from the Commission on May 4, 1993, because of his nomination to serve as Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. On March 12, the Secretary of Defense forwarded to the Commission his recommendation to close 31 major bases; realign 12 major bases; and close, realign, disestablish, or relocate 122 smaller bases or activities. The Committee monitored the Commission's deliberations on the recommendations. Many members of the Committee testified before the Commission during its field hearings. On July 1, the Commission transmitted its recommendations to the President. Its closure and realignment list varied somewhat from the Secretary's recommendation. The Commission recommended that 130 military bases in the United States be closed, and another 45 bases realigned. According to the Commission, these actions would generate one-time costs of $7.43 billion between fiscal years 1994 and 1999, but net an overall savings of approximately $3.8 billion during the same period. After that time, the recurring annual savings from these actions was estimated to be approximately $2.33 billion. On July 13, the Senate received from the President his recommendations. On July 30, the Committee met to consider Senate Joint Resolution 114. The Committee carefully considered the Commission's recommendations in the context of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990. Under the Act's procedures, the oppor tunity to achieve these substantial, long-term savings will not be available for the balance of the 103d Congress if the resolution of disapproval is enacted. The administration's current Future Year Defense Plan calls for reductions from the military services' personnel strength of about 25 percent from fiscal year 1990. These reductions are accompanied by substantial reductions in the number of Army divisions, naval combatants, and air wings. With these reductions in the size of our military forces, the Committee believes that it is also essential to reduce the size of our base structure. Over the last three years, the administration has announced the reduction or closure of approximately 840 overseas locations, representing about 37 percent of our overseas base infrastructure, measured in plant replacement cost. The closures and realignments of military installations in the United States from the 1988 and 1991 base closure rounds, reduced the domestic base infrastructure by only about nine percent. The President's 1993 base closure recommendations represent a further reduction of about six percent. The Committee believes that at a time of declining resources for national security activities, the national security interests of the United States would be best served through implementation of the Commission's recommendations. COMMITTEE ACTION In compliance with the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946, as amended by the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970, the committee voted, by voice vote, to report unfavorably the resolution. FISCAL DATA In compliance with sections 308 and 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, and paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following letter has been received from the Congressional Budget Office regarding the budgetary impact of the resolution: Hon. SAM NUNN, U.S. CONGRESS, CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, Chairman, Committee on Armed Services, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has examined S.J. Res. 114, a resolution disapproving the recommendations of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission, as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Armed Services on July 30, 1993. The Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 set up a process by which military installations would be recommended for closure or realignment by an independent commission. These recommendations would be implemented by the Department of Defense (DoD) unless Congress were to enact a joint resolution disapproving them. On July 1, 1993, the Commission released its recommendations, which called for closing 130 installations and realigning activities at 45 others. According to the Commission's analysis, these actions would save $3.8 billion between 1994 and 1999 and $2.3 billion annually after that. Under current law, if no action is taken by Congress, DoD will begin closing and realigning the affected bases in 1994. If S.J. Res. 114 is enacted, the savings from the base closures would be forgone. CBO has not prepared an independent estimate of the magnitude of the costs involved. We will be pleased to provide additional information about this estimate. The CBO staff contact is Mary Helen Petrus, who can be reached at 226-2840. Sincerely, ROBERT D. REISCHAUER, Director. |