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House Failed to Pass Crucial BRAC Amendment to National Defense Authorization Act

By Concerned Veterans for America

Arlington, VA – Today the House voted down an amendment offered by Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA) that would have struck a section of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that prohibits the Department of Defense (DOD) from undertaking an additional round of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC).

In June, Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) outlined the group’s NDAA recommendations for FY-2018, which included a mandate that the DOD become audit-ready, an authorization of a new BRAC round, and continued streamlining of the DOD acquisition process.

CVA Policy Director Dan Caldwell issued the following statement:

“It is disappointing to see Congress miss another opportunity to make the Pentagon more efficient and effective by not authorizing another round of BRAC. BRAC is an effective cost-saving measure that would save taxpayers billions and make the Pentagon more resourceful. Authorizing another round of BRAC has support from Defense Secretary James Mattis and leaders on both sides of the aisle so it is discouraging that this amendment was struck down. We thank Rep. McClintock for taking a bold step forward by offering this amendment and we encourage Congress to support BRAC in the future.”

Last year, the DOD estimated that they will have 22 percent excess capacity at bases across the world by 2019. The last five rounds of BRAC since 1988 have allowed the DOD to reap nearly $12 billion in savings every year. The 2005 BRAC is now producing $4 billion in savings a year, even though there were higher-than-expected upfront costs.

The Pentagon has repeatedly requested authority to close unneeded or underutilized bases. Both the Obama and Trump administrations have called on Congress to institute BRAC.

CVA joined the Cato Institute and forty other organizations to sign a bipartisan coalition letter in support of BRAC.

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