[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 36 (Monday, February 27, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S3220]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            MORNING BUSINESS
                                 ______


  SUPPORTING THE CONFIRMATION OF THE NOMINEES TO THE BASE CLOSURE AND 
                         REALIGNMENT COMMISSION

  Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I will not take much of the Senate's 
time to express my support for the confirmation of Mrs. Cox, General 
Davis, Admiral Montoya, Mr. Kling, Mr. Cornella, and Mrs. Steele to be 
members of the Base Closure and Realignment Commission.
  Despite the dismal performance by the White House when it submitted 
these nominations, the Armed Services Committee resolved all 
outstanding issues concerning individual nominees. I should add that 
these issues were, for the most part, related to whether or not an 
individual should recuse himself or herself from deliberating on a 
particular base. After considerable discussion and individual 
interviews, these concerns were alleviated and the committee 
recommended that the Senate confirm the nominees.
  We now face a crucial decision. Tomorrow, as required by law, the 
Secretary of Defense will release his recommended list of bases for 
closure. Whether or not the Senate confirms the Base Closure 
Commissioners has no impact on the release of the list. However, it 
does impact on the deliberative process which will proceed since we 
have a Commission chairman. The question that every Senator who wants 
to delay the confirmation process should be asking is: Do we allow the 
chairman of the Base Closure and Realignment Commission, Senator Alan 
Dixon, to solely conduct the evaluations of the Secretary's list, or do 
we provide him with the assistance of these six Commissioners?
  I have no doubt that despite the abilities of Alan Dixon, he and the 
Senate would rather see a group of individuals make decisions on the 
future of the Nation's military bases and our local economies. 
Therefore, I urge the Senate to confirm these nominations and let the 
1995 Base Closure Commission proceed with its work.

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