Secretary of Defense James Mattis is making what could be the Trump Administration’s first move towards authorization of a 2021 BRAC round with the delivery of an updated Department of Defense Infrastructure Capacity Report. The report, requested in the FY 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, highlights an overall excess capacity of 19% within the Department of Defense, including 29% in the Army, and 28% in the Air Force.
The release of this report follows recent legislative attempts by Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Jack Reed (D-RI), and Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) to legislate base closure activities. This Congressional groundswell, along with the pressures of sequestration, and combined with President Trump’s commitment to bring business efficiencies to the federal government may make for the perfect political storm where BRAC is authorized.
Cassidy’s Chairman Barry Rhoads, former Deputy General Counsel of the BRAC Commission, believes many military communities would welcome a BRAC. “For the past decades, the Department of Defense has been making basing decisions using existing authorities and behind closed doors, with little opportunity for communities to be involved. Many of our military community clients welcome the opportunities to tell their stories, promote their military value, and look at opportunities to obtain new missions and efficiencies through the transparent and open BRAC process.”
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