Kay Bailey Hutchison: “I am asking for a strategy. The Government Accountability Office did issue a report this week that says the Army's…”

“I am asking for a strategy. The Government Accountability Office did issue a report this week that says the Army's justification for keeping the forces in Europe was based on a flawed analysis, and it would cost taxpayers up to $2 billion, from 2012 to 2021, to pay for it. The GAO found the decision to retain brigades in Europe to require the Army to seek roughly $176 million annually to support the Bamberg and Swineford communities, again in fiscal year 2013. The Army now estimates that not returning two of the four BCTs, brigade combat teams, in Europe to the United States could potentially cost between $1 billion and $2 billion between fiscal years 2012 and 2021. It will cost an average of 360 million American dollars per year to retain those units in Europe that were scheduled to be moved to America. Closing the Heidelberg facility and moving the headquarters to Wiesbaden--the Army estimated that move from Heidelberg to go to Wiesbaden would save hundreds of millions of dollars in 2013. But the GAO found the Army now admits they will need $150 million annually to support the continuing operation in Heidelberg because of delays.”