Mr. Coniam submits for himself (and Mr. Littwin, Mrs. Desmond, Mr. Cole, Mr. Pea) a bill, to be directed to the Committee on International Relations and Armed Services.

FORTRESS Act (Force Organization Review To Reduce Extraneously Stationed Services Act) of 2004


To reduce military activity in foreign territories, to increase humanitarian aid around the world, and to increase goodwill between nations.

To be enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

Section 1. Short Title
This bill may be cited as the �FORTRESS Act�.

Part A: Findings
The United States of America posesses a military budget larger than the 11 next highest defense-spending countries combined. We have a highly mobile, highly technological military force deployed around the world in 752 foreign military installations, not to mention 402 domestic military installations.

Part B: Review all current military installations within foreign territories.
1 million dollars shall be allocated for creation and activities necessary to a Joint Committee of 5 Senators of the Congress of the United States, 20 Representatives of the House of the Congress of the United States, Officials from the Department of State, and Officials from the Department of Defense. The Joint Committee shall review all current military installation within foreign territories based on their political and tactical necessity to the United States and its allies. The Joint Committee shall request information on regional tactical and humanitarian aid situations to be filed by the United Nations and its affiliate organizations and all nations with United States military instillations within their territory. The Joint Committee will convene before the Congress of the United States annually for five years to present a report on findings and conclusions.
Based on the Joint Committee�s recommendations, the Congress of the United States shall evaluate each of the eight to twelve regions of the world organized by the Joint Committee for evaluation of the military installations in those regions. Evaluation shall result in a closing of 5% of the total number of military installations in foreign territories and the allocation of the closed bases for one of three uses designated in Part B of the FORTRESS Act. At the end of the 5 years, 25% of foreign bases will be closed, Congress may then vote to repeal the sunset of this bill if they deem it to be necessary at that time.

Part C: Close 20% of current military installations for conversion to humanitarian aid, local government, or United Nations facilities.
All installations chosen by the Congress of the United States shall be allocated for either A) conversion of facilities to a humanitarian aid center run by the United States, releasing ownership of the installation to the local government, or C) releasing ownership of the installation to the United Nations and/or affiliate organizations.

Part D: Allocate savings to humanitarian aid
Twenty-five percent of all monies formerly allocated to the maintenance and supply of installations closed by the FORTRESS ACT are to be allocated to foreign humanitarian aid programs, as requested by the United Nations.