Senator is Optimistic on Base Closings The impact of the 2005 round of military base closings and realignments may be “significantly reduced” by the Pentagon’s plan to bring home thousands of troops stationed overseas, said Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX). Hutchison said that’s the message she got in a Feb. 8 meeting with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. “Because the foreign-based troops are being redeployed back to this country, the impact of [realignment and closing] on U.S. facilities this year will be reduced,” she said in a statement. “The precise impact is difficult to measure at this time, but previous estimates will have to be adjusted as the redeployment from overseas to domestic bases occurs.” Defense officials have said in the past that the 2005 round could result in closing as many as one-fourth of domestic bases. DOD plans to move up to 70,000 troops stationed overseas back to the United States over the next several years. According to rules set by Congress, Rumsfeld must present by May 16 a list of bases to be closed or realigned. A majority of the Base Closure and Realignment Commission, appointed by Congress and the president, can take any base off that hit list, but they are not allowed to add more bases. The commission must submit its list to the White House by Sept. 8. If President Bush accepts the list, the closures become law in 45 days unless Congress blocks it. Congress must vote up or down on the entire list; it cannot choose individual bases to be saved.