SENATORS SNOWE, COLLINS ANNOUNCE GAO INQUIRY INTO DeCA AND NEX STORE CLOSURES IN MAINE

U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins today announced that the Government Accountability Office (GAO), an independent, nonpartisan federal agency, will investigate the pending closures of the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) store, located in Topsham, and the Navy Exchange Service Command (NEX) store, located in Brunswick. The GAO will begin its inquiry immediately.

"We strongly believe that we must continue to provide the commissary and exchange benefits to the men and women in uniform that serve at military commands in the Midcoast region, as well as their families, military retirees, and all who have earned these benefits for their heroic sacrifice and service in defense of our great nation. The investigation by the GAO will shed critical light on the quality and thoroughness of the analysis on which the department's decisions to close the commissary and exchange are based," said Senators Snowe and Collins in a joint statement.

Senators Snowe and Collins called on the GAO to conduct a review after a report delivered to the Congress by Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, Dr. Clifford Stanley, stated that the Navy plans to cease commissary operations and that the Navy would not establish a combined commissary and exchange store.

The Defense Department commissary and Navy exchange stores are scheduled to close in March 2011.

The GAO, often called the "congressional watchdog," investigates how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars. The mission of the GAO is to support the Congress in meeting its Constitutional responsibilities and to help improve the performance and ensure the accountability of the federal government for the benefit of the American people.

###