Desist Motion

Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) today announced plans to introduce legislation to “freeze action” on Defense Secretary Robert Gates' bid to eliminate the Virginia-based U.S. Joint Forces Command. Webb, who earlier this month announced plans for a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on JFCOM and other DOD efficiencies, issued a press release today, stating:

Today I have again called on the White House to refrain from making a final decision on the future of the U.S. Joint Forces Command until Congress has satisfactorily obtained a firm understanding of the process by which Secretary of Defense Gates arrived at his recommendation.

A decision of this magnitude poses significant implications for joint training and the development of joint war-fighting capabilities that are essential for successful 21st-century combat operations.  Any proposal to close or realign the command should be guided by a clear process and analytical basis that everyone can understand.  This is particularly important in light of Secretary Gates’s stated intention to consider consolidating or closing other military bases and facilities across the country.

In addition to the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing now promised to address the full range of the proposed defense efficiency initiatives, I will be introducing legislation to require the Secretary of Defense to provide full justification to Congress before any action is taken to close the Joint Forces Command.  This is fully consistent with Congress’s constitutional oversight responsibility as we work to improve our military’s joint warfare capabilities and operations.

Last month, Webb and other members of the Virginia delegation challenged the legal basis of Gates' recommendation to close JFCOM, urging the defense secretary to reconsider and “conduct a more complete review of JFCOM’s mission and activities without a predisposed intent to close the command.”