The Senate threw another dart Wednesday at President Clinton's attempts to save two ordered-to-close bases that compete for work with Utah's huge Hill Air Force Base.
The Senate passed language in the annual Defense Authorization Bill to prohibit turning those two bases over to private contractors, as Clinton has proposed, until other depots such as Hill are allowed to bid for the same work.That tries to stall efforts by Clinton to circumvent a decision last year by the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission that ordered the closure of McClellan Air Force Base, Calif., and Kelly Air Force Base, Texas.
Clinton wants to technically close them but "privatize in place" their operations by turning facilities over to private contractors. That would save tens of thousands of jobs in those vote-rich states during an election year.
But it would also hurt Hill and two other remaining Air Force depots by taking away work they would have gained. Critics charge it will cost hundreds of millions in lost savings by keeping open inefficient facilities, and not allowing other bases to absorb their work and lower overall costs.
"The Air Force continues to pursue a policy driven by electoral votes in Texas and California rather than adhering to the intent of the law," said Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah.
"Under constant pressure from the Clinton administration, the Department of Defense continues to operate five Air Force depots when only three are needed. This is an obvious waste of taxpayer dollars and a blatant demonstration of presidential politics," he said.
Bennett also charged that the administration's use of the wording "privatize in place" is a deceptive-but-clever marketing phrase that erroneously makes some think it will lead to more competition to bring increased efficiency and lower costs.
"The administration has effectively used `privatizing in place' to avoid consolidating workload to the most efficient bases as the (base closing) commission recommended," Bennett said.
Bennett said the bill also broadens the definition of work that must be performed by military depots instead of contractors, which he said should also help thwart Clinton's plans.
The bill now goes to a House-Senate conference to work out differences in the bills that each has passed.
Earlier this year, the House also took steps to stop Clinton's plans.
The House National Security Committee rejected on a 34-13 vote a change in law that Clinton's plan would have needed. That law requires military depots to keep at least 60 percent of key repair and maintenance work, allowing only 40 percent to go to private contractors.
Supporters of Clinton's plan did not try to change that in the full House because Rep. Jim Hansen, R-Utah, threatened that if they did, he would bring a vote on an amendment to require a tougher 85-15 percent work split - and may have had the votes to pass it.