ME/NH Delegation React to President Bush's Appointments to the Base Realignment and Closure Commission

ME/NH DELEGATION REACT TO PRESIDENT BUSH'S APPOINTMENTS TO THE BASE REALIGNMENT AND CLOSURE COMMISSION

(Washington, D.C.) Maine Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, New Hampshire Senators Judd Gregg and John Sununu, Maine Congressmen Tom Allen and Mike Michaud and New Hampshire Congressmen Charles Bass and Jeb Bradley reacted this afternoon to the eight appointments announced by President Bush today for the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC). President Bush had previously announced his selection of former Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi to chair the BRAC. On February 18th, the Members of the two delegations sent a letter to President George Bush urging him to consider geographic diversity when making his appointments to the forthcoming Base Realignment and Closure Commission and recommending two candidates for his consideration. Their recommended candidates were Lieutenant General (USMC ret.) Robert Winglass and former Maine Congressman David F. Emery.

"We are very disappointed that there are no representatives from New England or the Northeast among the Base Realignment and Closure Commissioners nominated by the President," the eight Members said. "Despite the lack of a Northeast regional representative, these commissioners - if approved by the Senate - cannot ignore Portsmouth's irreplaceable role in our national security infrastructure. Moreover, these commissioners will realize the unsurpassed quality of work performed by employees at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. We believe no responsible BRAC commission - especially during wartime - should recommend closing a shipyard that continues to save the Department of Defense millions of dollars and returns submarines back to the fleet ahead of schedule."

http://michaud.house.gov/newsroom_details.asp?id=372