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Military Base Closures: Issues Related to the Fiscal Year 1999 Budget Request

NSIAD-98-169 Published: Jul 30, 1998. Publicly Released: Jul 30, 1998.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO reviewed the Department of Defense's (DOD) base closure accounts and its budget request for base closure activities, focusing on opportunities for offsetting the budget request for fiscal year (FY) 1999, including the validity of two proposed military construction (MILCON) projects included in that request.

Recommendations

Matter for Congressional Consideration

Matter Status Comments
As Congress develops the budget authority for DOD's base closure activities in FY 1999, it may wish to consider appropriating up to $131.1 million less than DOD is requesting in its FY 1999 BRAC budget submission because prior year funds are available to meet these requirements and the request to fund two MILCON projects could be eliminated.
Closed – Implemented
In conference report (House Report 105-647), the conference committee reduced DOD's budget request by: (1) $35.7 million to account for unreported proceeds from land sales and leases from Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) actions; and (2) $26 million previously appropriated in fiscal year FY1998 but withheld by DOD due to lower than expected inflation rates. In addition, the committee staff stated that the $9.6 million requested for the BRAC IV military construction project was no longer needed in FY1999 because DOD, accelerating its construction schedule, had already funded the project in 1998. The committee staff also identified 4 additional construction projects that were already funded. Overall for construction projects, the committee reduced DOD's 1999 budget request by $4.3 million for one BRAC III project and more than $28.8 million for four BRAC IV projects.

Full Report

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Topics

Base closuresBase realignmentsBudget cutsDefense budgetsFunds managementMilitary basesMilitary cost controlMilitary facility constructionReprogramming of appropriated fundsUnobligated budget balances