I am concerned that if another BRAC is authorized, we will never get to any real savings, just moving military families around from one base to another.
Mr. Chairman, I am glad that today we're going to be able to talk about the President's 2014 budget request and we have the civilian leadership here that can explain the priorities for military construction in each of the services.
I look forward to hearing from our witnesses today how sequestration is affecting their military construction projects not only this year but in their request for next year.
I have said in each hearing and I will re-emphasize it again today, that I believe sequestration is the wrong way to reduce budgets and the Members of this Congress, both Republican and Democrat, need to start working together to find compromise in making fiscally responsible decisions. So I hope starting with this year's budget we can work together to that end.
Mr. Chairman, on another subject equally important is the Defense Department's request for the second year in a row to conduct BRAC.
In 2005, Congress authorized a BRAC that ended up being more far more expensive and expansive than we were led to believe. I've read your testimonies and I understand in 2004 it was known the Department had 24% excess capacity, but during your 2005 BRAC Defense only made reductions of 3.4%. I realize it was as many of you have stated in our private meetings more of a re-shaping BRAC, but a lot of money was spent to move things and most importantly people around.
So I am concerned that we will see more of the same if another BRAC is authorized and we never get to any real savings, just moving military families around from one base to another.
I am happy to see the Department is taking the steps this committee asked last year in focusing your reductions in facilities overseas, but before we start making facility reductions here I believe we should wait to see what savings are actually produced first.
Mr. Chairman, I realize these are very difficult issues for all Members of Congress and so I am glad for today's hearing so we can discuss these issues openly and I look forward to a very vigorous debate.
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to share my concerns. I yield back.
Source: U.S. Department of HCA
