Senators Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins received confirmation today from the Department of Defense that no decision has been made on the future of the Brunswick-Topsham commissary, and that signs posted at the store announcing a September 15, 2011, closure date and new policies regarding product orders were inappropriate. The closure signs will be immediately removed and the policies have been rescinded.
Several Mainers recently reported concerns about the signs and changes in product ordering policies at the commissary to their U.S. Senators. Senators Snowe and Collins then requested the Defense Commissary Agency (DECA) investigate the matter, as the reported actions appeared to violate the legal requirements of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 that require continued operation of the commissary until at least 60 days after the Secretary of Defense makes a decision about the fate of the store.
“The signs, as well as policies that appear to be intended to clear out inventory at the commissary, were a clear violation of the intent and purpose of the review process mandated by the Fiscal Year 2011 Defense Authorization Act. As the ultimate decision on the fate of the commissary has not been made, we are grateful for the Agency’s timely clarification. This store is a vital benefit for active duty military personnel, retirees, Guardsmen and reservists stationed in Maine’s Mid-Coast region, and it is critical the Department of Defense take the utmost care in its handling of this facility.”
Yesterday, Senators Snowe and Collins sent a letter to Dr. Clifford L. Stanley, the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel & Readiness, requesting a response to their previous correspondence in May and June in which they asked him to retain a commissary in the region and urged him not to close any commissary stores until DOD has completed a revision of its guidance documents. A recent study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), requested by Senators Snowe and Collins, revealed that the criteria used by the Department of Defense (DOD) to determine when commissaries are closed “are not clear,” and that DOD should clarify its guidance. A copy of the letter to Under Secretary Stanley is attached.
Earlier this week, Senators Snowe and Collins, along with Senators Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) introduced an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2012 Military Construction and Veterans’ Affairs Appropriations Act that would have prohibited the Department of Defense from closing any commissary until DoD revised its guidelines. Unfortunately, the Senate did not take up the amendment for consideration.
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