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Posted on 09/25/2001 5:23:25 PM PDT by freedomnews

Senators Back Base Closings 53-47

Tuesday, September 25, 2001 8:02 p.m. EDT

- - - - - By CAROLYN SKORNECK Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush's base-closings initiative was endorsed Tuesday by the Senate with strong support from Democrats, but it faces objections from House members who have tried to derail any mothballing of facilities.

The Senate vote of 53-47 stopped an effort to remove a base-closings provision from the $343 billion defense bill that authorizes money for the military efforts of the Defense and Energy departments for the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.

``This vote is really all about whether we're going to do business as usual, and preserve our bases in our states whether they're necessary or not, or whether we're going to have ... the most efficient military machine to fight this long, protracted struggle'' against terrorism, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a longtime base-closing supporter, said in debate before the vote.

Before the authorization bill can become law, a House-Senate conference must resolve differences between the versions approved by each chamber. The House measure, which lawmakers began debating Tuesday, intentionally omits any mention of base closings.

Meanwhile, missile defense has largely disappeared as a point of partisan contention, part of the national unity that emerged following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

In the House, a bipartisan amendment to cuts funds from that program while boosting anti-terrorism efforts by $400 million - for a total of about $6 billion - was expected to pass easily.

Bush sought $8.3 billion for missile defense, a $3 billion increase over this year's spending.

The Senate agreed Friday to provide the full $8.3 billion, but would let the president use $1.3 billion to combat terrorism instead.

The House Armed Services Committee reduced the $8.3 billion request last month by $135 million. The amendment, co-sponsored by committee Chairman Bob Stump, R-Ariz., and its top Democrat, Rep. Ike Skelton of Missouri, would cut another $265 million, leaving $7.9 billion for missile defense.

The additional anti-terrorism money would be ``an initial down payment until the president can better assess the long-term needs,'' Stump said.

Skelton said plans for a ``very spirited debate'' over missile defense ended with the terrorist attacks, when both parties agreed ``the nation would not be served by a divisive debate.''

Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., proposed, then withdrew, an amendment regarding the Puerto Rican island Vieques, where the Navy has trained for decades. The amendment would have canceled a planned November referendum of Vieques residents on whether the Navy should stop training in 2003, when Bush has said it will, or stay and pay $50 million for public works projects. Inhofe acted as Sen. Jon Corzine, D-N.J., planned to attach a requirement undermining his amendment.

The White House does not want the vote held. A House bill would call it off while requiring the Navy to keep using Vieques until an equivalent or better training site is found.

Regarding base closings, the Senate bill calls for one round in 2003, with an independent panel deciding which bases would be affected, and the Congress and president approving or rejecting the entire list.

Sen. John Warner, R-Va., the Senate Armed Services Committee's top Republican, read from a letter by Gen. Henry H. Shelton, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, saying, ``The authority to eliminate excess infrastructure will be an important tool our forces will need to become more efficient and serve as better custodians of the taxpayers' money.''

Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., meanwhile, said it was wrong to press for such upheavals ``when our reserves are being called up, our National Guard is being called up, our communities are being told, `Support our military.'''

Four rounds of base-closings - in 1988, 1991, 1993 and 1995 - led to the closing or realignment of 451 installations, including 97 major ones

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