SENATE BILL: Amendment to the Trade Agreement...Commission (OTPD)

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

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Sponsor: Averroës Nix

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The SoEA requested this be placed in the Foreign Policy/International Affairs slot. The sponsor of course has 24 hours to begin and advocacy for this. The SoEA might want to chime in as well.

[Donerail]

Chiming in: while the Trade Agreement Committee will be reviewing much of our foreign aid disbursements and trade agreements, here's something else to review, namely to make recommendations for realignment and closure of unnecessary DoEA real estate in order to increase efficiency (with an emphasis on joint operations). We haven't had a BRAC round since 2005. Additionally, if my proposed end strength reductions (which haven't been introduced but which you can see in the DoEA office) go into effect, another round would almost certainly be necessary.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Whether or not a military expenditure is "necessary" largely depends on your point of view. It involves speculating into what threats the future will bring... The problem is, none of us can know for certain when we will be attacked or whether we will need to go to war. I'd rather err on the side of over-preparedness than ill-preparedness.

If we can make administrative cuts that would not impair the abilities of our armed forces in any way whatsoever, I'm all ears. If we can streamline operations and use the saved money for additional development of our military, I'm also open to that.  Unfortunately, closing military facilities would, I think, run contrary to these criteria.

I just don't think I can endorse sending a committee off to investigate our military with the specific mandate of figuring out which facilities we can close.

[Donerail]

If we can make administrative cuts that would not impair the abilities of our armed forces in any way whatsoever, I'm all ears. If we can streamline operations and use the saved money for additional development of our military, I'm also open to that.  Unfortunately, closing military facilities would, I think, run contrary to these criteria.

I just don't think I can endorse sending a committee off to investigate our military with the specific mandate of figuring out which facilities we can close.

The idea behind BRAC is to do what you said in bold. BRAC began in 1989 and did several more rounds in the 1990s in the wake of the Cold War to close bases that were no longer needed due to the collapse of the Soviet Union. The focuses of a commission would be to better integrate active and reserve unions, rearrange forces to be able to act around the globe (say, closing or reducing bases in Germany while enlarging bases in Japan), make the military more flexible and agile, improve cooperation between military service branches, and convert or remove unneeded capacity.

We're finding what facilities we can close, yes; that frees up funds in the budget from things we don't need (namely, facilities that are no longer necessary in our changing global environment) and would allow us to reallocate those to things we do need or where the money would be spent more effectively (more research into drones, or more destroyers, that kinda thing).

[HagridOfTheDeep]

So the money we save would be spent elsewhere in the military? That was my major concern.

[Donerail]

So the money we save would be spent elsewhere in the military? That was my major concern.

I believe so, yes; if this passes I would revise the other legislative idea I posted in the DoEA office accordingly (buy a few more destroyers, not retire a carrier, halve the reduction in F-35 procurement, save the MQ-4C and V-22, replace more retirees, and overall make spending cuts less deep).

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Is this done, if so I can open a vote here tomorrow.

[Donerail]

Is this done, if so I can open a vote here tomorrow.

If nobody has any more issues, then yes.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Senators this bill is now at final vote, and I certainly hope that it goes better than the one on that other bill. Please vote, Aye, Nay or Abstain.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Aye

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

AYE, DON'T SEE WHY NOT!!!

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Aye

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Nay

Had to think this one over a lot despite the secretary's reassurances. Ultimately, I've decided to pull a Simfan. Sorry.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Looks like it's time I send some PMs.

[Spamage]

abstain

[Niemeyerite]

Aye

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

THATS IT!!!! EVERYBODY DIES!!!!!!!!!

TFS ftw


PMs will now be sent.

[Franzl]

Abstain

[Napoleon]

Barnes? Can we get an Aye?

[Barnes]

Barnes? Can we get an Aye?

Mea maxima culpa.

Aye.

[Napoleon]

Barnes? Can we get an Aye?

Mea maxima culpa.

Aye.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

This bill has enough votes to pass, Senators have 24 hours to change their votes.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Vote on Final Passage of the Amendment to the Trade Agreement Re-evaluation Commission:

Aye (6): Averroës Nix, Ben, jdb, JulioMadrid, NC Yankee and Roy Barnes 2010.
Nay (1): HagridOfTheDeep
Abstain (2): Franzl and Spamage

Didn't Vote (1): Oakvale

With six votes in the affirmative and time having expired, the bill has passed and is presented to the President for executive action.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

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