The Department of Defense (DoD) encountered a great deal of pushback from Congress when it proposed two new rounds of base realignment and closures (BRAC), but officials are not giving up. Dorothy Robyn, the deputy undersecretary of defense for installations and environment, says rejection from Congress the first time around is not unusual, according to Federal Times.
Robyn stresses that having BRAC proposals refused the first time around is often expected, and the DoD likely expected to have to make at least two requests. The Pentagon had proposed two new rounds of BRAC – one in 2013 and 2015 – to help reduce costs over the next decade.
"In the past, DoD has had to make repeated requests before it finally gets a BRAC round," Robyn told the publication.
It may not be all that easy. Earlier this month, the House of Representatives passed part of the Defense Authorization Act prohibiting the Pentagon from carrying out any rounds of BRAC in 2013.
New rounds of BRAC are not the only way the military can cut costs over the next decade. According to Reuters, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta plans on cutting almost 100,000 ground troops.