SELECTION CRITERIA.

SEC. 3002. SELECTION CRITERIA. The Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (part A of title XXIX of Public Law 101–510; 10 U.S.C. 2687 note) is amended by inserting after section 2912, as added by section 3001, the following new section: “SEC. 2913. SELECTION CRITERIA FOR 2005 ROUND. “(a) Preparation of Proposed Selection Criteria.— “(1) In general.—Not later than December 31, 2003, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register and transmit to the congressional defense committees the criteria proposed to be used by the Secretary in making recommendations for the closure or realignment of military installations inside the United States under this part in 2005. “(2) Public comment.—The Secretary shall provide an opportunity for public comment on the proposed criteria for a period of at least 30 days and shall include notice of that opportunity in the publication required under this subsection. “(b) Military Value as Primary Consideration.—The selection criteria prepared by the Secretary shall ensure that military value is the primary consideration in the making of recommendations for the closure or realignment of military installations under this part in 2005. Military value shall include at a minimum the following: “(1) Preservation of training areas suitable for maneuver by ground, naval, or air forces to guarantee future availability of such areas to ensure the readiness of the Armed Forces. “(2) Preservation of military installations in the United States as staging areas for the use of the Armed Forces in homeland defense missions. 115 STAT. 1345 “(3) Preservation of military installations throughout a diversity of climate and terrain areas in the United States for training purposes. “(4) The impact on joint warfighting, training, and readiness. “(5) Contingency, mobilization, and future total force requirements at both existing and potential receiving locations to support operations and training. “(c) Special Considerations.—The selection criteria for military installations shall also address at a minimum the following: “(1) The extent and timing of potential costs and savings, including the number of years, beginning with the date of completion of the closure or realignment, for the savings to exceed the costs. “(2) The economic impact on existing communities in the vicinity of military installations. “(3) The ability of both existing and potential receiving communities’ infrastructure to support forces, missions, and personnel. “(4) The impact of costs related to potential environmental restoration, waste management, and environmental compliance activities. “(d) Effect on Department and Other Agency Costs.—Any selection criteria proposed by the Secretary relating to the cost savings or return on investment from the proposed closure or realignment of military installations shall take into account the effect of the proposed closure or realignment on the costs of any other activity of the Department of Defense or any other Federal agency that may be required to assume responsibility for activities at the military installations. “(e) Final Selection Criteria.—Not later than February 16, 2004, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register and transmit to the congressional defense committees the final criteria to be used in making recommendations for the closure or realignment of military installations inside the United States under this part in 2005. Such criteria shall be the final criteria to be used, along with the force-structure plan and infrastructure inventory referred to in section 2912, in making such recommendations unless disapproved by an Act of Congress enacted on or before March 15, 2004. “(f) Relation to Criteria for Earlier Rounds.—Section 2903(b), and the selection criteria prepared under such section, shall not apply with respect to the process of making recommendations for the closure or realignment of military installations in 2005.”.