He pointed out that Congress must appropriate money each year to close bases.

Congress has often found it difficult to close bases without some outside impetus.

Others warned that they would block any effort to close more bases.

But with the military trying to close more bases around the country, even that benefit was disappearing.

He takes pride in having worked with Democrats on some issues - for example, to close military bases no longer considered essential to national security.

The list prepared this month calls for closing only 33 major bases and cutting back another 29.

The Pentagon says closing 97 bases in 1988, 1991, 1993 and 1995 saved the government $15.5 billion.

The commission would be loosely modeled on the one set up several years ago to close military bases.

And with the Pentagon continuing to close bases, the local economy will be squeezed for years.

It takes time to close bases and production lines.