II 109th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2230 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 31, 2006 Mr. Dodd (for himself and Mr. Kennedy) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To ensure that members of the Armed Forces have complete personal armored protection necessary for their duties, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Servicemember Safety Act of 2006.

2.

Complete personal armored protection for members of the Armed Forces

(a)

Provision of complete personal armored protection

(1)

In general

Commencing as soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of each military department shall, except as provided in paragraph (2), ensure that each covered member of the Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of such Secretary is provided interceptor body armor and such other appropriate protective gear as is necessary to provide such member with complete personal armored protection. (2)

Exception

A member of the Armed Forces described in paragraph (1) may be provided body armor and other protective gear that provides such member with less than complete personal armored protection if a unit commander of such member (at such level of command as the Secretary of the military department concerned shall specify for purposes of this section) certifies that the provision to such member of body armor and other gear providing complete personal armored protection would impose on such member a greater risk of injury or death than would be borne by such member if provided body armor and other gear under this paragraph. (b)

Payment for body armor and protective gear

(1)

Temporary authority for payment

During the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on the date of the commencement of the provision of body armor and other protective gear under subsection (a) by the Secretary of a military department, such Secretary shall provide to such covered members of the Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of such Secretary as such Secretary shall designate for purposes of this subsection an amount for the purchase by such members, or for the reimbursement of purchases made by others on behalf of such members, of such interceptor body armor and other appropriate protective gear as is necessary to provide such members with complete personal armored protection. (2)

Designation of members

In designating members of the Armed Forces under paragraph (1), the Secretary of a military department shall designate members whose military duties or assignments most urgently require the acquisition by such members of complete personal armored protection. (3)

Amount of payment

The total amount of the payment made to a member of the Armed Forces under paragraph (1) may not exceed the lesser of— (A)$1,100; or (B)the amount incurred by or on behalf of such member to purchase body armor and other gear as described in that paragraph. (4)

Authorized producers and suppliers of armor and gear

Payment may be made to a member of the Armed Forces under paragraph (1) for the purchase of body armor or other gear only if such body armor or other gear is purchased from such producers and suppliers of military gear as the Secretary of the military department concerned shall designate for purposes of this subsection. (5)

Coordination with provision of complete personal armored protection

A member of the Armed Forces who receives a payment under this subsection is not entitled to the provision of body armor or protective gear under subsection (a) unless the Secretary of the military department concerned determines that the provision of body armor or protective gear to such member under that subsection is necessary in order to meet the requirements of that subsection with respect to such member. (c)

Coordination among military departments

The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the requirements of this section are, to the maximum extent practicable, carried out uniformly across the military departments. (d)

Definitions

In this section: (1)The term complete personal armored protection, in the case of a member of the Armed Forces, means such interceptor body armor, other body armor, and other protective gear as is necessary to fully shield the torso of the member (including the shoulders, sides, and lower torso) with body armor. (2)The term covered member of the Armed Forces means a member of the Armed Forces who is ordered, assigned, or deployed to a combat zone or on a combat operation.