Maine Delegation urges Pentagon to reconsider Commissary decision

Press Release

Maine's Congressional delegation is urging U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to reconsider the decision to close the Brunswick-Topsham Commissary, which currently serves more than 10,000 active duty, Guard, and Reserve personnel, retirees, and other eligible beneficiaries in the region. Today, in a letter to Secretary Panetta, Senators Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins, along with Congressman Mike Michaud and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, insisted the Commissary should remain open and urged the Pentagon to reconsider this decision.

In their letter, the Delegation members asserted, "We believe this decision to be unjustified and imprudent, and urge you to continue store operations while reconsidering his [Under Secretary of Defense Clifford Stanley] recommendation."

The Delegation also expressed serious concern over the lack of response from the Department of Defense to discuss alternative proposals to keep the Commissary open. Specifically, the Department failed to respond to multiple letters sent to Under Secretary Clifford Stanley on May 10, June 3, and July 21, requesting further examination of an "enhanced commissary" proposal, the fate of the commissary, and findings by the Government Accountability Office indicating criteria used by the Department to determine their fate were not clear. "Unfortunately, we did not receive a response to any of these letters, and yesterday was the first time that we have heard from Under Secretary Stanley on this issue. This failure to respond to our requests for a dialogue on a matter of such significant importance is troubling and unacceptable," the Members said in their letter.

"There is a clear need for commissary services in the Midcoast area and it is a benefit that we owe military personnel and retirees," Congresswoman Pingree said. "Shopping at a commissary can save a family an average of $4,400 a year and in this tight economy that goes a long way."

BACKGROUND: Dr. Clifford Stanley, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, called Senators Snowe and Collins yesterday to confirm the Department's decision to close the Brunswick-Topsham Commissary. The Commissary, which employs 27 people and serves more than 10,000 active duty, Guard, and Reserve personnel, retirees, and other eligible beneficiaries in the region, is scheduled to officially close on October 8, 2011, unless the Department reverses its decision. Upon its closure, Commissary beneficiaries would have to travel long distances to utilize either the Bangor or Portsmouth, New Hampshire stores.

Senators Snowe and Collins introduced S. 1044 on May 23, 2011, to authorize an enhanced commissary store pilot program allowing these stores to sell products commonly sold by the military exchanges, such as alcoholic beverages and tobacco products. Unlike other goods at the commissary, which are sold at cost plus a 5 percent surcharge, these products would be sold at prices determined by the Secretary of Defense, and the proceeds from those sales would help reduce operating costs at each enhanced commissary.

Pingree and Michaud had previously inserted a similar provision into a defense authorization bill that successfully passed the House earlier this year.

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