June 02, 2005   DOD RELEASED BRAC DATA INSUFFICIENT, ACCORDING TO SENATORS COLLINS AND LIEBERMAN   WASHINGTON, DC—Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) are calling the Base Closing data made available by the Department of Defense “insufficient.” Senator Collins, who chairs the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and Ranking Member Senator Joseph Lieberman recently wrote to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on May 27th stating that DoDs failure to release supporting BRAC information immediately and completely had undermined the integrity of the process and that, therefore, they would use their subpoena power to obtain specific documents such as emails, memos, handwritten notes, if those documents were not immediately made available. While the Department of Defense has made available certain classified materials, the documents do not appear to be fully responsive to the Senators’ request and are not useful for base officials in public hearings and meetings. “It is disappointing that nearly three weeks after the Base Realignment and Closure List was released by the Department of Defense, most of the supporting documentation is available only in classified form. This means that the documents cannot be used at public hearings, public meetings, or at meetings that are not held in a classified facility by people with security clearances. In addition, these documents would not be available for individual bases to use to make their cases in defense of keeping their facilities open,” said the Senators in a joint statement. “The documents made available last night, unfortunately, do not appear to come close to addressing the requests that we made last week. The specific information that we requested would go a long way toward ensuring the integrity of the base realignment and closure process. While these documents are currently undergoing review, we have no indication thus far, that they satisfy our request. Once the review of these documents is completed, we will determine whether a subpoena is necessary,” Senators Collins and Lieberman added. In response to the Senators’ letter late last week to Secretary Rumsfeld requesting immediate release of specific BRAC-related data, Acting Deputy Secretary Gordon England, writing on behalf of Secretary Rumsfeld, outlined the documents that the Department of Defense have made available to Members of Congress and those with security clearances. England’s letter, however, does not address the specific materials Senators Collins and Lieberman have requested relating to DoD’s possible consideration of factors not authorized by the BRAC statute. Even if all of the data released becomes declassified, it does not include much of what Senators Collins and Lieberman believe the BRAC statute requires, which they requested last week. ###   ###   Printable Version   « previous Press Release next Press Release »   1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 June 2005 Press Releases   June 29 - IN RESPONSE TO COLLINS-LIEBERMAN COMMITTEE INVESTIGATION, STATE DEPARTMENT AND TERRORIST SCREENING CENTER ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT TO SHARE TERRORIST INFORMATION   June 27 - SENATOR COLLINS COMMENDS DHS REPORT TO COORDINATE HOMELAND SECURITY EFFORTS WITH CANADA & MEXICO   June 24 - SENATOR COLLINS’ STATEMENT ON LINDA SPRINGER   June 23 - SENATOR COLLINS PRESSES FOR STRONGER TRADE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGAINST UNFAIR COMPETITION FROM FOREIGN MANUFACTURERS   June 22 - COMMITTEE APPROVES COLLINS - FEINGOLD BILL TO SAVE TAXPAYERS $300 MILLION ANNUALLY BY ELIMINATING WASTEFUL SPENDING IN PURCHASE CARD PROGRAM   June 22 - COMMITTEE APPROVES SENATOR COLLINS’ BILL TO INCREASE SUPPORT FOR AMBULANCE, RESCUE & OTHER EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES   June 22 - COMMITTEE APPROVES COLLINS-CARPER POSTAL REFORM LEGISLATION   June 21 - SENATORS COLLINS, LIEBERMAN INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY FOR FIRST RESPONDERS   June 21 - SENATOR COLLINS CHAIRS HEARING ON JUVENILE DIABETES   June 17 - SENATORS COLLINS AND LIEBERMAN ANNOUNCE RECEIPT OF THOUSANDS OF PAGES OF BRAC-RELATED DOCUMENTS, SECURE COMMITMENT FROM SECRETARY ENGLAND THAT ADDL REQUESTS WILL BE RESPONDED TO   June 16 - SENATOR COLLINS CALLS FOR CRACKDOWN ON GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS WHO CHEAT ON THEIR TAXES, POSE UNFAIR COMPEITITION   June 15 - SENATOR COLLINS CALLS FOR FEDERAL LEGISLATION TO STRENGTHEN SECURITY AT CHEMICAL FACILITIES   June 13 - DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE RESPONDS FURTHER TO SENATORS COLLINS, LIEBERMAN’S SUBPOENA, DELIVERS ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS TO THE HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE   June 12 - DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE RELEASES MORE BRAC-RELATED DOCUMENTS FOLLOWING SENATORS COLLINS, LIEBERMAN ISSUANCE OF SUBPOENA LAST WEEK   June 10 - SENATOR COLLINS STATEMENT ON NCTC DIRECTOR NOMINATION   June 10 - SENATOR COLLINS’ STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT’S NOMINATIONS FOR PRIVACY & CIVIL LIBERTIES OVERSIGHT BOARD   June 8 - SENATOR COLLINS JOINS EFFORT TO CRACK DOWN ON SAUDI SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM   June 7 - SENATORS COLLINS AND LIEBERMAN ISSUE SUBPOENA FOR BASE CLOSURE DOCUMENTS   June 2 current Press Release
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 340 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510