Trent Lott: “This commission on overseas bases is a Global Posture Review. It is not a closure or realignment process. It is a review…”

“This commission on overseas bases is a Global Posture Review. It is not a closure or realignment process. It is a review of requirements that should then inform an overseas base process. But it is not a base closure. This commission which reports in December guarantees that nothing will happen. I want to make sure everybody understands that. We are trying to get an overseas realignment and base closure process. Secondly, I am shocked with all this talk about the key factor here is the lobbyists: We don't want our communities or States to keep these lobbyists who are going to be working to try to keep the commission from closing this base or that base. I really can't really believe that has been the argument. I have an answer to that. Take them off the payroll. I know how it has been working. Some of these people have been paid for 4 years, and there has not been a BRAC process underway. That is why we are here. We are here as representatives of the people. We do not need these people on the payroll. Surely, that is not the best argument. I guarantee this: Some of the communities, some of the bases, some of the people will say this will give us 2 more years, at least, on life. We will take those 2 years. The very idea of ``shoot me and get it over with'' when, as a matter of fact, some of these bases are really needed--CBO has said there is not excess capacity.”