Mike Levin: “just briefly, a few comments on the BRAC amendment of Senator McCain, myself, Senator Robb and others. First, on the…”

“just briefly, a few comments on the BRAC amendment of Senator McCain, myself, Senator Robb and others. First, on the cost question. The Defense Department has testified on the savings. Their testimony is part of the record. The Under Secretary for Defense, John Goodman, before the Readiness Subcommittee of the Armed Services Committee, testified that their estimate of net cost in savings are as follows: 98 major installations closed through BRAC, costs through 2001, when they would be fully implemented, $23 billion; savings through 2001, in billions, $36.5 billion. That is a $13 billion savings during that period, and then after 2001, recurring savings, every year, because we had the courage to pass four BRAC rounds, of $5.6 billion. Now, that is our modernization shortfall. That is why the Joint Chiefs of Staff, every single one of them, plead with us, in a very direct letter, plead with us to support the Secretary of Defense in his request for two more BRAC rounds. Now, there is no use coming to this floor and talking about the need to modernize or to make sure we have the most advanced forces in the world, the most ready forces in the world, with the highest moral in the world, when we are not willing to take the steps that are necessary to make those things possible. We know we are not going to get increases in the defense budget. We know we have a 5-year budget that we have to live within.”