CT lawmakers meet with BRAC members

Senators Chris Dodd and Joe Leiberman met with members of the BRAC committee who were unable to hear the CT delegation's presentation earlier this month and were unable to visit the sub base in Groton last month. With some BRAC members expressing concern over the value of closing the base in Groton, hopefully the continued criticisms from the CT delegation can ultimately lead to BRAC taking Groton off the list of and saving the base.

From the Norwich Bulletin:

Members of Connecticut's congressional delegation met Wednesday with Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commissioners Jim Hansen and James Hill to discuss the importance of the Groton submarine base to national security.

U.S. Sens. Christopher Dodd and Joseph Lieberman and U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons, R-2nd District, met with the two commissioners who have not heard the state's argument for keeping the base open.

Hansen and Hill did not tour the sub base June 1 with other BRAC commission members and they did not participate in the July 6 hearing in Boston, when the Connecticut delegation presented its case for removing the base from the Pentagon's closure list.

"We delivered a very clear message: Sub Base New London is our nation's premier submarine facility and closing it would do irreparable damage to our national security and the American taxpayers' wallet," Dodd said. "This is a national security issue and I believe the commissioners listened carefully to our arguments."

Dodd said it was just one more step in a "marathon" to try to keep the base open. And work was not done yet.