Over the years, the OEA has provided planning and implementation assistance to communities, regions, and states in an effort to alleviate serious economic impacts that result from defense program changes, such as base closings, expansions, and openings; contract changes affecting firms; and personnel reductions or increases at military facilities. Currently, the OEA operates with a staff of 45 civilian and 3 military personnel. The Economic Development Administration (EDA), http://www.eda.gov , has provided grants from their appropriated funds in excess of $640 million since the first BRAC round in 1988, as well as administering $274 million of DOD funds and $8 million from the Department of Energy for defense adjustment projects that have included some closed military bases. President Bush's FY2006 budget request included the "Strengthening America's Communities Initiative," which outlined substantial changes and realignment in federal economic development programs, including the EDA. Congress has not acted on the President's proposals, nor set any timetable to do so. Other Assistance

In addition to the OEA and EDA, there are a number of other federal agencies and activities that may help communities adversely affected by base closures and realignments. The governor can reserve not more than 15% of the state's formula grant for state level activities, and not more than 25% for "rapid response" activities. The purpose of these grants is to plan a comprehensive response to a BRAC closure or realignment. States eligible to receive the Phase I planning grants are those states listed in the Secretary of Defense's May 13, 2005 announcement of installations being recommended for closure or realignment. Awards will be made in consultation with DOD. Other Assistance

In addition to the various federal programs designed to provide transition assistance to displaced workers, a variety of other programs might also provide assistance to those affected by base closure.
On September 15, 2005, President Bush approved the list of military facilities that the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission recommended be closed or realigned in the current round of base closures, known generally as "BRAC." (See http://www.brac.gov/finalreport.asp.) The list includes 22 major base closures and 33 major realignments and would result in a net reduction of more than 8,000 military and civilian personnel. (The original BRAC list from DOD indicated a reduction of more than 26,000 personnel, but this included more than 13,000 from overseas deployments that are not included in the BRAC Commission recommendations.) On October 27, the House failed to pass H.J.Res. 65, a motion of disapproval of this list. Thus, barring some future congressional action, the recommendations will take effect over the next six years. (See CRS Report RL32216, Military Base Closures: Implementing the 2005 Round, by [author name scrubbed], for additional information on the BRAC process.) Despite the difficulties inherent in a base closure, communities near facilities on the list must now face a very high probability of life without a local military base. Recognizing that closures and realignments can have a major impact on the economies of the affected regions, Congress has created a variety of different resources available both to communities and individual workers to help mitigate the resulting economic dislocation. This report is intended to summarize these various programs. It will be updated as events warrant.