Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) is a process used by the Pentagon and U.S. Congress to close excess military installations in order to save money on operations and maintenance. More than 350 bases have been closed in four previous BRAC rounds: 1989, 1991, 1993 and 1995. The conclusion of the 2005 round is expected in September.
Because a military base can bring millions of federal dollars to its congressional district each year, political considerations make it very difficult to shrink or eliminate military installations. Congress created the BRAC process in 1988 as a politically palatable method to do so.
The process begins when Pentagon officials submit a list of bases to be closed, shrunk, or enlarged. An independent nine-member commission shapes the list by taking testimony from interested parties and paying visits to affected bases. After several months, the commission submits its list to the president, who must either approve or disapprove the list in its entirety. If approved, the list goes to Congress, which, too, must either approve or disapprove the entire list.
The Pentagon released its proposed list for BRAC 2005 on May 13, 2005. The list will now be revised by the commission. The president is expected to make his decision on the commission's list by September 23, 2005.