OPINION:
“Reforming our bureaucracy should be on Congress’ agenda” (Web, Dec. 3) was a very good political commentary piece by John York on reforming the U.S. government. I would like to add another avenue that such a reformation effort could travel. In the 1980s the Department of Defense initiated the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) effort. The president named a nine-person committee known as the BRAC Committee. These nine people met, held hearings to get outside input and then submitted to the president a list of installations they thought should be closed or realigned.
The president reviewed the list and if he approved submitted it to Congress for their approval or rejection in 45 days (no line-item vetoes).
The same could be initiated for the U.S. government. It could be called the Bureacracy Realignment and Closure effort.
It is time to make Congress stand up and put their jobs where there mouths are. We should make them go “on the record” regarding this subject, on which all have probably purported to spend a great deal of effort on their constituents’ behalf, but on which few, if any, have done a thing on the the House or Senate floor.
JAMES P. KOUT
Bowie, Md.
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