[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 104 (Tuesday, July 22, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7821-S7823]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               PROTECTING THE FUTURE OF PICATINNY ARSENAL

  Mr. TORRICELLI. Mr. President, I rise today in strong support of the 
Fiscal Year 1998 military construction appropriations bill, and would 
like to take this opportunity to thank Chairman Burns and Ranking 
Member Murray for all of their leadership and hard work on this 
legislation. I am especially pleased by two items which were included 
in this bill. First, the $1.3 million which will be spent on the design 
of a new software engineering center at Picatinny Arsenal in my home 
State of New Jersey, and second, language in the bill which urges the 
Army to place the construction of the center on its priority list for 
fiscal year 1999. I am hopeful that the Army will heed the advice of 
the Senate, and make this project a priority for next year.
  Throughout our Nation's history, Picatinny Arsenal has provided our 
men and women with the high-technology weapons that have helped

[[Page S7822]]

achieve our military victories. Most recently, during Desert Storm our 
forces unleashed millions of M-77 submunitions on the Iraqi Army with 
devastating results. This grenade-like weapon uses a precision guidance 
system and a mini-computer to locate its target as it descends on a 
parachute-like device, before it attacks and destroys it. The Iraqis 
were so terrified of this weapons, that they dubbed it Steel Rain. I am 
proud to say that this weapon was developed by some of this Nation's 
finest scientists and engineers at Picatinny Arsenal.
  As some of my colleagues may know, Picatinny Arsenal is home to the 
Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center [ARDEC]. 
Virtually every piece of weaponry and ammunition in the hands of our 
soldiers is developed at Picatinny. In fact, Picatinny is responsible 
for 90 percent of the Army's lethality.
  Currently, the Fire Support Armaments Center [FSAC], which conducts 
the research, development, and engineering for weapons systems such as 
artillery, mortars, and the technology behind the fire control for the 
entire U.S. Army, has its functions dispersed at several facilities 
throughout the base. While our Armed Forces in general, and the Army in 
particular, have been subject to drastic downsizing in the post-cold-
war era, the Fire Support Armaments Center workload has increased as 
our modern army relies increasingly on ``smart'' weapon technology. 
However, while the Center is responsible for a critical area of 
expertise in our national security plan, its economic and productive 
effectiveness is severely limited because its operations are dispersed 
throughout the base. This, combined with the limited space available, 
makes work on the larger vehicles like tanks and armored personnel 
carriers impossible in all but the best of weather conditions and makes 
coordination on the many different components of any given project 
nearly impossible.
  To remedy this, a new software engineering center has been proposed 
which would consolidate many of the Arsenal's operations, thus allowing 
work on these vehicles to proceed year round and enhancing Picatinny's 
capability to test and upgrade ``smart'' weapons. The proposed Software 
Engineering Center would also provide the Army with the ability to 
upgrade-technologically existing weapons systems, respond rapidly to 
problems encountered in the field, and save the Pentagon money. The 
Army estimates that this consolidation will also save $5 million a 
year, allowing the project to pay for itself in 3 years. I am pleased 
by the Senate's support of the center, and look forward to working with 
the subcommittee and the Army to ensure that this state-of-the-art 
facility becomes a reality.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, the pending military construction 
appropriations bill provides $9.183 billion in new budget authority and 
$3.064 in new outlays for military construction and family housing 
programs for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 1998.
  When outlays from prior-year budget authority and other completed 
actions are taken into account, the outlays for the 1998 program total 
$9.902 billion.
  This legislation provides for construction by the Department of 
Defense for U.S. military facilities throughout the world, and it 
provides for family housing for the active forces of each of the U.S. 
military services. Accordingly, it provides for important readiness and 
quality of life programs for our service men and women.
  The bill falls within the revised section 602(b) allocation for the 
Military Construction Subcommittee. I commend the distinguished 
subcommittee chairman, the Senator from Montana, for bringing this bill 
to the floor within the subcommittee's revised allocation.
  The bill provides important increases over the President's request 
for 1998, and I urge the adoption of the conference report.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a table showing the 
relationship of the conference report to the subcommittee's section 
602(b) allocation be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the table was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                              H.R. 2016, MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS, 1998                             
                [Spending Totals--Senate-Reported Bill; fiscal year 1998, in millions of dollars]               
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Category                             Defense  Nondefense   Crime   Mandatory    Total 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Senate-reported bill:                                                                                           
  Budget authority..........................................   9,183    ..........  .......  .........   9,183  
  Outlays...................................................   9,902    ..........  .......  .........   9,902  
Senate 602(b) allocation:                                                                                       
  Budget authority..........................................   9,183    ..........  .......  .........   9,183  
  Outlays...................................................   9,920    ..........  .......  .........   9,920  
President's request:                                                                                            
  Budget authority..........................................   8,384    ..........  .......  .........   8,384  
  Outlays...................................................   9,839    ..........  .......  .........   9,839  
House-passed bill:                                                                                              
  Budget authority..........................................   9,183    ..........  .......  .........   9,183  
  Outlays...................................................   9,909    ..........  .......  .........   9,909  
                                                                                                                
              SENATE-REPORTED BILL COMPARED TO                                                                  
                                                                                                                
Senate 602(b) allocation:                                                                                       
  Budget authority..........................................  ........  ..........  .......  .........  ........
  Outlays...................................................     (18)   ..........  .......  .........     (18) 
President's request:                                                                                            
  Budget authority..........................................     799    ..........  .......  .........     799  
  Outlays...................................................      63    ..........  .......  .........      63  
House-passed bill:                                                                                              
  Budget authority..........................................  ........  ..........  .......  .........  ........
  Outlays...................................................      (7)   ..........  .......  .........      (7) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: Details may not add to totals due to rounding. Totals adjusted for consistency with current scorekeeping  
  conventions.                                                                                                  

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today to discuss the military 
construction appropriation bill before us today. Senator Burns and 
Senator Murray are to be congratulated on crafting a measure that 
adequately meets our military needs while at the same time addressing 
the pressing concerns of our soldiers.
  Mr. President, at a time when our services are having difficulty 
meeting their recruiting goals and retention is suffering, it is more 
important than ever that the military address quality of life issues. 
Unfortunately, the administration has chosen to ignore the reality and 
not budget the appropriate resources for this goal.
  The budget for all military construction contained in the Senate bill 
totals just over $9 billion, almost $800,000 above what the 
administration requested. As anyone who has visited some of our 
installations can tell you, this money is desperately needed.
  I salute the work of Senators Burns and Murray as well as their 
staffs. Their ability to prioritize within the declining budget is 
crucial to improving the everyday lives of our soldiers and their 
families. Mr. President, if we are going to continue to ask more from 
our military around the world, the very least we can do is to provide 
them with adequate housing and facilities. In addition, it should be 
pointed out that the committee worked with both the House and Senate 
authorizing committees and did not appropriate funds for any project 
that was not authorized.
  I hope all of my colleagues will join me in supporting this excellent 
bill.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I rise to express my strong support 
for several New Jersey projects included in the Senate's version of the 
fiscal year 1998 military construction appropriations, as well as 
several New Jersey projects included in the House version of this 
legislation. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I hope all of 
these projects will be included in the final version of the bill.
  I appreciate the willingness of the chairman and ranking member to 
include $1.3 million in design funding for a new software engineering 
facility at Picatinny Arsenal. This funding will allow the Picatinny to 
consolidate the design, development, testing, configuration control, 
field release and maintenance of weapon systems, simulators, and 
trainers. It will result in reduced cost for the Army and will improve 
efficiency in the software engineering process.
  I also appreciate the willingness of the Senate subcommittee to 
provide funding for two important projects at McGuire Air Force Base. 
The Senate's bill includes $9.954 million for an air mobility 
operations group warehouse, which will increase the efficiency of the 
base's mobility operations. Additionally, it includes $35.217 million 
for an ambulatory health care center replacement. This new facility 
will house a full-service outpatient operation and provide adequate 
space for clinics, ambulatory surgery, ancillary services, storage, 
offices, and administration. It will improve the quality of care 
provided to our military personnel.
  In addition, the House version of this bill provides $9.03 million 
for an ammunition supply point at Fort Dix, $8.8 million for a fire 
station at McGuire Air Force Base, $2.05 million for a fire station at 
Fort Monmouth, and $7.3 million to build 35 units of family housing at 
Picatinny Arsenal. These

[[Page S7823]]

are meritorious projects that deserve the support of the conferees. I 
hope the conferees to this bill will agree to include these projects to 
improve the quality of life and to support the missions at New Jersey's 
military installations in the final version of this legislation.
  These projects are vital to New Jersey's defense infrastructure, and 
to those who work on these bases. I hope the chairman and ranking 
member will support these important New Jersey projects in the 
conference agreement to the fiscal year 1998 military construction 
bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the committee 
amendments are considered and agreed to en bloc.
  The committee amendments were agreed to.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on the engrossment of the 
amendments and third reading of the bill.
  The amendments were ordered to be engrossed and the bill was read the 
third time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair informs the Senator from Washington 
that she has 5 minutes, 29 seconds remaining on her time. Does she wish 
to use it or yield it back?
  Mrs. MURRAY. I yield my time back.
  Mr. BURNS. I yield my time back.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Shall the bill, H.R. 2016, as 
amended, pass? The yeas and nays have been ordered. The clerk will call 
the roll.
  The bill clerk called the roll.
  The result was announced--yeas 98, nays 2, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 192 Leg.]

                                YEAS--98

     Abraham
     Akaka
     Allard
     Ashcroft
     Baucus
     Bennett
     Biden
     Bingaman
     Bond
     Boxer
     Breaux
     Brownback
     Bryan
     Bumpers
     Burns
     Byrd
     Campbell
     Chafee
     Cleland
     Coats
     Cochran
     Collins
     Conrad
     Coverdell
     Craig
     D'Amato
     Daschle
     DeWine
     Dodd
     Domenici
     Dorgan
     Durbin
     Enzi
     Faircloth
     Feingold
     Feinstein
     Ford
     Frist
     Glenn
     Gorton
     Graham
     Gramm
     Grams
     Grassley
     Gregg
     Hagel
     Harkin
     Hatch
     Helms
     Hollings
     Hutchinson
     Hutchison
     Inhofe
     Inouye
     Jeffords
     Johnson
     Kempthorne
     Kennedy
     Kerrey
     Kerry
     Kohl
     Landrieu
     Lautenberg
     Leahy
     Levin
     Lieberman
     Lott
     Lugar
     Mack
     McConnell
     Mikulski
     Moseley-Braun
     Moynihan
     Murkowski
     Murray
     Nickles
     Reed
     Reid
     Robb
     Roberts
     Rockefeller
     Roth
     Santorum
     Sarbanes
     Sessions
     Shelby
     Smith (NH)
     Smith (OR)
     Snowe
     Specter
     Stevens
     Thomas
     Thompson
     Thurmond
     Torricelli
     Warner
     Wellstone
     Wyden

                                NAYS--2

     Kyl
     McCain
       
  The bill (H.R. 2016), as amended, was passed.
  Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.
  Mrs. MURRAY. I move to lay it on the table.
  The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Kempthorne). Under a previous order, the 
Senate insists on its amendments, requests a conference with the House, 
and the Chair appoints the following conferees.
  The Presiding Officer appointed Mr. Burns, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. 
Faircloth, Mr. Craig, Mr. Stevens, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Reid, Mr. Inouye, 
and Mr. Byrd, conferees on the part of the Senate.
  Mr. BURNS. I thank Senator Murray's staff, Dick D'Amato, Emelie East, 
and also on my staff Sid Ashworth, Kelly Hartline, and Jennifer 
Chartrand. I also thank Ben McMakin and Mazie Mattson. It was a 
pleasure working with these folks. They did the majority of the work.
  I yield the floor.

                          ____________________