Sen. Hutchison Pressed Gates to Find Overseas Basing Efficiencies & Savings
Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON D.C. In an effort to find budget efficiencies within the Department of Defense (DOD) Defense Secretary Robert Gates has proposed overseas basing reductions echoing the calls from U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) for cost savings. Sen. Hutchison who is the Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction applauded the announcement saying it is good news for American taxpayers and military personnel alike.
Sen. Hutchison has urged the Pentagon to focus its military construction agenda and investments in stateside military infrastructure rather than costly and in some cases duplicative overseas basing projects.
In our current budget environment it is critical that we cut back on spending and I applaud the work of Secretary Gates to find efficiencies and cost savings. Efforts to streamline and downsize excessive force structure in Europe will save billions in military construction costs and strengthen our military readiness. This is good news for our brave men and women serving in the Armed Forces and it demonstrates the fiscal restraint that taxpayers rightly expect" said Sen. Hutchison.
Sec. Gates acknowledged excess force structure in Europe during a January 6 2011 speech in which he outlined approximately $100 billion in overall defense spending cuts over five years. He indicated that cost-saving consolidations and streamlining headquarters in Europe would be appropriate given the number of troops and the nature of the military operations on the continent.
Sen. Hutchison has pressed DOD to maximize its investment in American basing infrastructure. Congress has now invested more than $14 billion to build housing stationing training and deployment capacities at major military installations.
The military communities of Fort Hood and Fort Bliss stand ready to house incoming brigades should the Pentagon decide to base them on U.S. soil. We have invested in these installations. They are not only well-equipped for their mission but they have all the amenities our military families need" said Sen. Hutchison.
In July 2010 Sen. Hutchison raised concerns that the Pentagons military construction proposal would set in motion a worldwide transformation of U.S. basing that would expand our overseas presence. At that time DOD was pursuing expensive and in some cases duplicative military construction projects in Europe South Korea and Guam without demonstrating adequate cost efficiencies projected costs or a broader basing strategy. Sen. Hutchison met with Sec. Gates to express these concerns on July 15 2010.
During the 111th Congress Sen. Hutchison introduced two amendments to the FY 2011 Defense Authorization bill to cut $1 billion in overseas military construction funding mostly in Germany. She will continue to pursue legislation to cut military construction spending where there are excesses and duplications.
