June 12, 2005   DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE RELEASES MORE BRAC-RELATED DOCUMENTS FOLLOWING SENATORS COLLINS, LIEBERMAN ISSUANCE OF SUBPOENA LAST WEEK   WASHINGTON, DC-- Senator Susan Collins, Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Ranking Member Senator Joe Lieberman, announced today that the Department of Defense has released additional documents related to the base realignment and closure (BRAC) process following the Senators' issuance of a subpoena last Tuesday. The newly released documents, which were covered under the subpoena issued last week, include documents related to various scenarios used by the Pentagon in making its recommendations for base closure and realignments; the Pentagon’s requests to military installations for data; and the installations’ responses to those requests. Senators Collins and Lieberman said that the newly available documents are the types of documents needed for the public and Congress to have a better understanding of how the Department of Defense arrived at is base closure and realignment recommendations. In a joint statement, the Senators said, “ We are encouraged that, following our issuance of the subpoena, the Defense Department is disclosing the documents communities need to make their cases before the BRAC commission. The Defense Department has agreed to produce additional documents on Monday and throughout next week and to finish responding to our subpoena by Friday. In the spirit of this commitment and assuming continued production throughout the week, we have agreed to extend the deadline to Friday at noon.” The law creating the BRAC process requires the Defense Department to release "all information" underlying its recommendations. However, the Defense Department failed to comply with its statutory obligation - first by delaying its release of information; then by disclosing information but only in a classified format, inaccessible to the communities of the installations slated for closure or realignment; and finally by disclosing information in only a piecemeal and limited fashion. Senators Collins and Lieberman issued the subpoena on last week following weeks of complaints from Members of Congress, State officials, and representatives of affected communities. The subpoena requires the Pentagon to release the information underlying its BRAC recommendations by noon on Monday, June 13.   ###   Printable Version   « previous Press Release next Press Release »   1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2008 June 2005 Press Releases   June 30 - COMMITTEE RELEASES WHITE HOUSE RESPONSE TO COLLINS-LIEBERMAN INTELLIGENCE REFORM OVERSIGHT LETTER   June 21 - BIPARTISAN GROUP OF SENATORS SAY IMPROVED COMMUNICATIONS AMONG FIRST RESPONDERS IS KEY TO BETTER HOMELAND SECURITY   June 21 - LIEBERMAN WELCOMES THREE CONNECTICUT CHILDREN WITH JUVENILE DIABETES TO DC HEARING   June 17 - LIEBERMAN PROTESTS FRAGMENTATION, DUPLICATION OF HOMELAND SECURITY SCIENCE AND TECH AUTHORITY   June 17 - SENATORS COLLINS AND LIEBERMAN ANNOUNCE RECEIPT OF THOUSANDS OF PAGES OF BRAC DOCUMENTS   June 14 - COLLINS, LIEBERMAN: KEEP THE WAR ON TERROR ON TRACK   June 14 - MCCAIN, LIEBERMAN INTRODUCE SAVE LIVES ACT OF 2005   June 13 - PENTAGON PRODUCES ADDITIONAL BRAC DATA   June 12 current Press Release   June 7 - SENATORS COLLINS AND LIEBERMAN ISSUE SUBPOENA FOR BASE CLOSURE DOCUMENTS   June 5 - SENATORS COLLINS AND LIEBERMAN REACT TO RELEASE OF SOME BRAC DOCUMENTS BY PENTAGON   June 2 - PRIVATIZATION OF AIR TRAFFIC SPECIALISTS JEOPARDIZES AVIATION SAFETY   June 1 - DoD RELEASED BRAC DATA INSUFFICIENT, ACCORDING TO SENATORS COLLINS AND LIEBERMAN
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 340 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510