Contact: Jessica Smith, (202) 228-5185
Monday, July 6, 2009 Kimberly Hunter, (202) 228-5258
WEBB ANNOUNCES SENATE COMMITTEE APPROVAL
OF KEY DEFENSE PROVISIONS AFFECTING VIRGINIA
Today, Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) announced that the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (S. 1390), reported out by the Senate Committee on Armed Services on June 26, contains important provisions for Virginia and the welfare of our men and women in uniform and their families.
Senator Webb said, “The Committee’s markup resulted in a strong bipartisan defense bill that will support our troops and their families, as well as address each military department’s modernization and recapitalization requirements for ground, air, and naval forces. We faced difficult choices in a number of areas where the administration sought to halt troubled acquisition programs and reorient others for the most likely national security threats facing the nation. I believe the bill reflects an appropriate and necessary balance.”
Following is a partial list of the bill’s provisions highlighting those of special significance to Virginia’s military service members and their families, military installations, and the defense industrial base. The report accompanying the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (S. 1390) is available at: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_reports&docid=f:sr035.111.pdf.
Personnel
Authorizes a 3.4 percent pay raise for all military personnel effective January 1, 2010. This is 0.5 percent above the President’s request.
Authorizes $27.9 billion for the Defense Health Program, requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to initiate a process of reform and improvement of the TRICARE health care system, and extends eligibility for TRICARE Standard to so-called “gray-area” retirees.
Requires the establishment of a task force to assess the effectiveness of the policies and programs developed to assist and support the care, management, and transition of
recovering wounded, ill, and injured service members.
· Increases the authorization for the Homeowners Assistance Program by $350 million. This program was recently enhanced by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Public Law 111-5) and now provides relief to homeowners who are military services members, wounded warriors, surviving spouses, and defense civilian employees who are forced to relocate because of Base Realignment and Closure Commission, or permanent change of station orders.
Military Construction
Authorizes $476.1 million for Virginia military construction projects, incorporating two projects specifically requested jointly by Senators Webb and Mark R. Warner (D-VA)—a $3.66 million project for the expansion of an electromagnetic research and engineering facility at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren, VA., and an $8.9 million project to upgrade the marshalling area at Ft. Eustis, requests supported by the Navy and Army, respectively. The Committee also authorized the following military construction funding in line with the administration’s budget request:
Dahlgren Naval Surface Warfare Center AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense Facility expansion: $24.5M
Dam Neck Special Operations Forces Operations Facility (Increment III): $15.967M
Fort A.P Hill Automated Infantry Platoon Battle Course: $4.9M
Fort A.P. Hill Field Training Area: $9M
Fort A.P. Hill Training Aids Center: $9.1M
Fort Belvoir Flight Control Tower: $8.4M
Fort Belvoir Road and Access Control Point: $9.5M
Fort Pickett Regional Training Institute (Phase II): $32M
Langley Air Force Base West & LaSalle Gates Force Protection/Access: $10M
Little Creek Special Operations Forces Activity Operations Facility: $18.669M
Little Creek Naval Construction Division Operations Facility: $13.095M
Norfolk E-2D Trainer Facility: $11.737M
Norfolk Facility Upgrades for E-2D Program: $6.402M
Oceana Naval Air Station C-40 Hangar: $30.4M
Pentagon Electrical Upgrade: $19.272M
Pentagon Secondary Uninterruptible Power Raven Rock: $8.4M
Portsmouth Ship Repair Pier Replacement: $126.969M
Quantico Student Quarters – The Basic School (Phase IV): $32.06M
Quantico Marine Security Guard Battalion Training Facility: $10.34M
Quantico Marine Corps Information Operations Center: $29.62M
Quantico Aircraft Trainer: $3.17M
Quantico Dining Facility – The Basic School: $14.78M
Quantico South Mainside Electrical Substation: $15.27M
Readiness and Warfighting Equipment
· Fully funds readiness and depot maintenance programs as requested to ensure that forces preparing to deploy are trained and their equipment is ready.
· Provides $6.7 billion for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicle Fund, including an increase of $1.2 billion above the President’s budget request for MRAP All-Terrain Vehicles (M-ATV), which will be deployed to Afghanistan for use by the Army and Marine Corps.
· Provides $179 million for the Army’s “Force XXI” Battle Command Brigade and Below. This unfunded requirement was identified by the Army Chief of Staff.
· Provides $1.75 billion for buying seven Air Force F-22A aircraft, rather than terminating the production program as requested by DOD.
· Provides an additional $560 million to buy 18 F/A-18E/F aircraft, rather than nine Navy aircraft as requested, and authorizes the full request for 22 EA-18G aircraft.
· Authorizes full funding for 20 Marine Corps MV-22s Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft.
· Provides $438.9 million to continue development of the F-136 Joint Strike Fighter alternate engine.
· Provides $261 million for non-system training devices of which $4.9 million is for the Virginia National Guard’s procurement of dismounted infantry team tactics training systems.
Shipbuilding
· Provides full funding at the administration’s budget request level for most programs, including: the Aircraft Carrier Replacement Program, the Virginia-class submarine, the DDG-1000 guided-missile destroyer program, the DDG-51 guided-missile destroyer program, and the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS).
· Maritime missile defense: Adds $50 million for a mobile maritime sensor development program to provide options for the Navy in meeting its sea-based missile defense requirements.
· T-AKE dry cargo/ammunition ship: Reduces funding for one of two T-AKE auxiliary ships in the budget request, pending the Quadrennial Defense Review’s consideration of requirements for the Maritime Prepositioning Force (Future).
Provides authority for a temporary reduction in the Navy’s aircraft carrier force levels from 11 to 10 active carriers, as requested by DOD, to permit the planned decommissioning of USS Enterprise (CVN-65), thus avoiding the expense of more than $1 billion to extend this carrier’s service life. This provision would only apply to the time between the planned retirement of USS Enterprise and the delivery of USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78).
Educational Research and Development Funding
Authorizes approximately $5.5 million for military research and science outreach programs for colleges and universities in the Commonwealth, including projects at Virginia Tech and George Mason University—jointly requested by Senators Webb and Warner.
Alternative Energy Research
· Provides an additional $80 million for alternative energy research projects for which Virginia-based energy companies will be able to compete.
In addition, the Committee adopted three key provisions proposed by Senator Webb to enhance national security, readiness, and wartime contracting accountability:
A Reporting Requirement on U.S. Global Defense Posture in the Quadrennial Defense Review: The amendment requires the Secretary of Defense to report to the congressional defense committees on its global posture realignment strategy as part of the Quadrennial Review (QDR). The report will encompass the status of comprehensive master plans for overseas military infrastructure and an interagency review of these plans, to include coordination with the Department of State and other federal agencies. The report, required by this amendment, will include recommendations for additional closures or realignments of military installations outside of the United States that are consistent with the QDR.
Stricter Requirements to Address Community Concerns Over the Navy’s Establishment of an Outlying Landing Field: The amendment requires the Secretary of the Navy to address concerns raised by the public during the Navy’s preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) associated with establishing an outlying landing field (OLF) to support carrier-based aircraft training on the East Coast. The Navy’s EIS will evaluate the suitability of five potential sites—three in Virginia and two in North Carolina. Importantly, the amendment ensures that the Secretary of the Navy takes any public opposition into consideration during the preparation of the EIS and examines means to mitigate any impacts on communities that might be affected. The reporting requirement also will oblige the Secretary of the Navy to evaluate opportunities for economic assistance and to minimize the land removed from the state tax base. The Navy must include a description in the report of the measures taken to identify all suitable options for the location of the OLF.
A One-Year Extension of the Commission on Wartime Contracting: The amendment, cosponsored by Senator Webb and Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO), extends by one year the charter of the Commission of Wartime Contracting and enhances certain authorities of the commissioners to allow them to carry out their statutory mandates more effectively.
