1
See CRS Report RS21822, Military Base Closures: DOD’s Internal Selection Process, by
Daniel H. Else and David E. Lockwood.
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Order Code RS22061
March 11, 2005
Military Base Closures:
The 2005 BRAC Commission
Daniel H. Else and David E. Lockwood
Specialists in U.S. Foreign Policy and National Defense
Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division
Summary
The President and Congress are to soon complete the selection of nine members to
the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission. On or about May 16, 2005, the
Department of Defense (DOD) is to send the Commission its recommended list of
installations to be closed or realigned. The Commission, in turn, is to spend several
months reviewing DOD’s list, and then forward its findings and recommendations to the
President no later than September 8, 2005.
This report focuses exclusively on developments relating to the Base Realignment
and Closure (BRAC) Commission. It examines relevant factors of interest, not only in
regard to the current BRAC round, but also to the past four rounds. It should be noted
that the 2005 Commission is likely to follow procedures that are, in large part, similar
to those of the past three BRAC rounds. The Commission’s role will expire no later
than April 15, 2006. This report is to be updated.
Introduction
This report examines the role and current status of the independent 2005 Base
Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission. It follows an earlier CRS report that
provided important details about the Department of Defense’s internal base closure/
realignment selection process.
1
At this point, the 2005 BRAC schedule is well along — with Congress having
already approved DOD’s final selection criteria (February 2004) and its force structure
plan, base inventory, and BRAC requirement certification (March 2004). The next
important step in the BRAC schedule is the President’s appointment of nine members to
the new independent Commission. Congressional leadership has suggested six individuals
to the President for his consideration in nominating nine BRAC commissioners to the
