Call in chits with committee chairs
Two New Jersey congressmen, Democrats Frank Pallone Jr. and Rush Holt, have finally responded to the rigged BRAC process that led to the decision to shut down Fort Monmouth by calling for an investigation by the federal Government Accountability Office. It's absolutely essential that the GAO investigation proceed. If it does, it could blow the lid off Washington.
There is no guarantee the GAO will agree to the investigation. The same powerful forces that were responsible for the decision to shutter more than 30 major military bases - allegedly to reduce military spending and excess base capacity - will be at work trying to block a GAO inquiry.
The GAO gives lowest priority to requests from individual members of Congress. The likelihood of the request being granted improves considerably if it comes from a committee chairman or ranking committee member with jurisdiction over the subject area of the requested probe.
In this case, appropriate candidates would include the chairmen of the House and Senate Armed Services (Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo.), the Senate budget committee (Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D.) and the House Ways and Means Committee (Charles Rangel, D-N.Y.) New Jersey lawmakers and Gov., and former Sen., Corzine should be putting the arm on all of them. And citizens disgusted by the manner in which the BRAC process was conducted, and the adverse impact it could have on our military and the economies of regions hosting bases due to be closed should contact them as well, urging them to support a GAO investigation.
There is no guarantee the GAO will agree to the investigation. The same powerful forces that were responsible for the decision to shutter more than 30 major military bases - allegedly to reduce military spending and excess base capacity - will be at work trying to block a GAO inquiry.
The GAO gives lowest priority to requests from individual members of Congress. The likelihood of the request being granted improves considerably if it comes from a committee chairman or ranking committee member with jurisdiction over the subject area of the requested probe.
In this case, appropriate candidates would include the chairmen of the House and Senate Armed Services (Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo.), the Senate budget committee (Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D.) and the House Ways and Means Committee (Charles Rangel, D-N.Y.) New Jersey lawmakers and Gov., and former Sen., Corzine should be putting the arm on all of them. And citizens disgusted by the manner in which the BRAC process was conducted, and the adverse impact it could have on our military and the economies of regions hosting bases due to be closed should contact them as well, urging them to support a GAO investigation.
posted by Randy Bergmann at 2:40 PM
2 Comments:
Please tell me your aren't going to give Pallone a "better late than never" compliment.
Why do you guys carry water for him? I hope someday you will print the material I sent you about his stating to a reporter that he ignores Asbury Park.
Ignoring is his problem. How many times was Fort Monmouth on the initial list for closures during his tenure? The time to do something was right after those times in the past when we dodged the bullet. He should have negotiated to have something moved there the military absolutely could not do without.
All of your reporting and editorials since this happened could have focused on Frank dropping the ball, because he is the one that did.
Let me count the number of times you've blamed him...Ok I'm done counting. It was zero.
Editorial discretion? Perhaps political courtesy.
I want there to be an investigation, but I have been told that the likelihood of it is small because if one base gets it, then all the others that were signed off on to close will follow suit and want an investigation, which will cost money. what do you think...could there be a snowball effect?
Margaret
Post a Comment
<< Home