The House of Representatives passed a bill in July to close the Roosevelt Roads naval base in eastern Puerto Rico in early 2004, without waiting for the round of national base closures in 2005. Passed with virtually no discussion, the bill would also require the Navy to sell the Roosevelt Roads property to a public bidder, with the funds going to the Navy, instead of offering it without cost to the Puerto Rican or local government, as would be required in a normal base closure.

The Senate military authorization bill did not include the same provision, instead affirming the downsizing of the base by cutting its budget from $58 million to $29 million. The two versions will have to be reconciled in a House-Senate conference committee in September.

Base closures often benefit local economies in the long term, but require extensive planning that the House plan for a quick sell-off would undermine. Moreover, by allowing the Navy to operate the sale of the base, the measure could give Navy officials still upset over being kicked out of Vieques a chance to exact revenge on Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rican Congressional Representatives scrambled to put a brake on the closure of the 8,600-acre base. "We are being punished for winning an issue against the federal government,” said José Serrano (D-NY). Anibal Acevedo-Vilá, who is likely to be the Popular Democratic Party’s candidate next year to succeed Sila Calderón as governor, has spoken against closing Roosevelt Roads. But in the face of its near certainty he is seeking federal funds to help Puerto Rico address the reduced spending by the military.

Many see the closure as a possible boon. The National Hostosiano Congress estimates that without the base, 20,000 jobs could be generated in the area. The base has nine deep-water ports, an airport, sophisticated communication facilities, a hospital, desalinization plant, four water treatment plants, 110 miles of roads, 42 miles of coastline, including three developed beaches, 1,340 housing structures, a marina, hotels, commercial facilities, a dump, two schools, a university center, and sports areas.

The Puerto Rican government is also contracting a U.S. consulting firm to develop on a fast-track a master plan for uses of Roosevelt Roads after its closure. Puerto Rico’s Development and Trade Secretary, Milton Segarra, suggested that Puerto Rico might move its National Guard air base, currently based in San Juan, to Roosevelt Roads.

Action: Call or write to members of the Defense bill conference committee to urge Roosevelt Roads be included in the 2005 round of base closures (known as BRAC), instead of through punitive legislation that undercuts proper economic and land use planning.

Contact: Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI), tel: 202-224-3934 and Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) tel: 202-225-2065. They will be members of the conference committee reconciling military bills in September.

Sources: Washington Times, 7/21/03; Primera Hora, 7/17/03; Hector Pesquera, “Otra vez Roosevelt Roads,” on RedBetances.com; legislation on Thomas website: http://rs9.loc.gov/home/thomas.html