by lilorphant » Sun Aug 14, 2005 2:42 am
<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/brac.htm">www.globalsecurity.org/mi...y/brac.htm</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br><br>"During the decade of the 1980’s, no major military bases were closed, largely because of procedural requirements established by Congress. After several legislative efforts to break the deadlock failed, Congress introduced a new base closure procedure in P.L. 100-526, enacted October 24, 1988. The original base-closing law was designed to minimize political interference. The statute established a bipartisan commission to make recommendations to Congress and the Secretary of Defense on closures and realignments. Lawmakers had to accept or reject the commission´s report in its entirety. On December 28, 1988, the commission issued its report, recommending closure of 86 installations, partial closure of 5, and realignment of 54 others. The Secretary of Defense approved its recommendation on January 5, 1989.<br><br>Since the commission approach adopted by Congress was successful, new base closure legislation was introduced which also relied on the services of an independent commission. Congress refined the process in 1990 with another law (PL 101-510) that charged the Defense Department with drawing up an initial list of bases for consideration by the commission. This commission, in accordance with a statutory provision, met in 1991, 1993, and 1995. The Defense Base Closure and Realignment of 1990 (1990 Base Closure Act), Public Law 101-510 established the process by which Department of Defense (DOD) installations would be closed and/or realigned. "<br><br><br>Clinton's inauguration was in January, 1993. By then the ink had dried on the realignment orders. Add to that local politics involved in the realignment commissions, and the big money involved in the dissemination and auction of government property.<br><br>Everyone had dollar signs in their eyes when they called for base closures, except for the local workers put out of business each time a base shut their doors. <p></p><i></i>