Lawmakers may delay base closures

WASHINGTON — As Pentagon officials appeared in Congress Thursday to certify they indeed want and need a scheduled round of base closures next year, several House members signaled they may try to delay or cancel it anyway.

They said the military is still unsure what future force structure should be in a world changing amid terrorism, so knowing which bases are truly needed is difficult. Also, they said the expected costs of closing bases are so high that no net savings would come until 2011 — and that hurts near-term budgets that are already tight.

"I personally believe that a two-year delay is a very prudent decision. Given all the uncertainties, we cannot afford to make mistakes. . . . Once a base is closed, a training range forsaken, a harbor abandoned, it would be impossible for the Pentagon to get them back," said Rep. Solomon Ortiz, D-Texas, ranking Democrat on the House Armed Service Subcommittee on Readiness.

Subcommittee Chairman Joel Hefley, R-Colo., likewise said it is fair to ask if a round is wise next year considering "an ongoing war on terrorism, the global posture review (determining where to base troops abroad), a tight federal budget, and the significant and ongoing transformation of the nation's military." Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, a subcommittee member, said the possibilities of a delay or cancellation of the base closure round are being discussed by members. "But I don't think it will happen. . . . I think it's a little showmanship" by some members for worried constituents, he said in an interview.

He added that a mere delay may not be in the best interest of Utah's Hill Air Force Base.

"That doesn't give you much benefit because it makes two more years of pain and makes lobbyists richer." But, he said, "If you're talking about halting the process, then I have interest in that big time." Hill Air Force Base — Utah's single largest employer — is expected to be at risk in the next round. It is one of three huge repair-and-logistics bases for the Air Force. The next round is expected to closely look at combining such depot bases operated by all services, or even whether to contract out much of their work.

While some House members have cold feet about another closure round, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Raymond F. Dubois, Jr. pleaded with them to allow it to proceed — saying the military needs the money it will save in the long term.

"The Department of Defense has more base capacity than it needs to support its forces under any conceivable contingency," Dubois said. He added that a report given to Congress this week figures that 24 percent of base infrastructure may be excess.