[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 82 (Monday, June 22, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H4901-H4913]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1999

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Nethercutt). Pursuant to House 
Resolution 477 and rule XXIII, the Chair declares the House in the 
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union for the 
consideration of the bill, H.R. 4059.

                              {time}  1621


                     In the Committee of the Whole

  Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the 
Whole

[[Page H4902]]

House on the State of the Union for the consideration of the bill (H.R. 
4059) making appropriations for military construction, family housing, 
and base realignment and closure for the Department of Defense for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 1999, and for other purposes, with Mr. 
Pease in the chair.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered as having 
been read the first time.
  Under the rule, the gentleman from California (Mr. Packard) and the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hefner) each will control 30 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Packard).
  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, I want to begin by expressing my deep appreciation to 
the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hefner), ranking member of the 
subcommittee. He has served for 12 years as chairman of this 
subcommittee and has made a great contribution to the Congress. He is 
leaving at the end of this year, and it has been a true pleasure for me 
to be able to work with him on this subcommittee. I will say more about 
that in a moment.
  Mr. Chairman, it is a privilege for me to recommend this military 
construction bill to the Congress for adoption. It is a very stringent 
bill. It does not meet the needs, nor the requirements of military 
construction, but it is basically all that we have to work with, the 
numbers were given to us.
  Actually, the administration presented a budget request that is 
considerably lower than last year's appropriated level, about $1.4 
billion dollars lower. That is a 15 percent cut from last year's 
appropriated level. We have had to add to that level, to the 
President's request, about $450 million or we would have never been 
able to have met even the most dire military construction needs.
  Mr. Chairman, we do not see any controversy on this bill. We feel 
that it is a very good bipartisan bill. The minority and the majority 
have worked very closely on it in crafting the bill. We also have 
worked very closely with the authorizing committee. In fact, this bill 
really reflects the authorizing committee bill and we are pleased to 
present it to the House.
  In conclusion, I want to again mention that we have had the great 
privilege of working with the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. 
Hefner), who will be leaving the Congress. And I might mention that we 
included in the bill a recommendation that a military highway in his 
district be named after him, the ``W.G. `Bill' Hefner All American 
Parkway.''
  We think that it is important that the gentleman be remembered in 
this way for his great contribution to military construction, to the 
Congress, and to the United States Government.
  Mr. Chairman, I submit the following for the Record:

[[Page H4903]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH22JN98.001



[[Page H4904]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH22JN98.002



[[Page H4905]]

  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HEFNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, first of all, at the risk of forgetting it or letting 
it pass, I certainly want to thank the staff on both sides of the 
aisle, who I think are the finest staff that I have ever worked with in 
the committees in all of my tenure here on Capitol Hill.
  They have done yeoman's work. They have worked very, very hard. They 
are dedicated people, and I want to thank them very much for their hard 
work.
  It goes without saying, the admiration that I have for the gentleman 
from California (Chairman Packard). He has done a remarkable job. He is 
a joy to work with. We worked very closely together, and what we bring 
today is a bill that we believe that everyone in this body can support, 
even though it does not meet the needs for our men and women in the 
service. But it is beyond our reach to do the kinds of things that we 
would like to do because of our allocation. Because of budgetary 
constraints, we are not able to do the kind of things we want to do in 
family housing, but it does provide $8.2 billion for military 
construction and the last two rounds of the base closings.
  Mr. Chairman, this is one of the bills that comes to this House every 
cycle in which we never have enough money to do the things that we 
would like to do for quality of life and to make sure that young men 
and women coming into our service will want to stay and serve their 
country. But we have done the best that we could in putting this bill 
together as far as it relates to quality of life and retention in our 
Armed Forces.
  Mr. Chairman, I want to again thank the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Packard) and all the staff for putting together this bill. I would 
hope that we would have 100 percent participation, and that all of that 
100 percent would vote for our bill when the roll is called and maybe 
we will have 100 percent.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I thank the distinguished 
gentleman from California (Mr. Packard) for yielding me this time for 
the purpose of a colloquy.
  Mr. Chairman, as the gentleman knows, I am very eager to see design 
funding for the P-208 aircraft platform interface, the API laboratory 
consolidation project, move forward this year at Lakehurst Naval Air 
Engineering Station. I would ask the gentleman, is it accurate to say 
that this bill, H.R. 4059, provides the necessary funding for the 
design of the API lab and will keep the Navy on track for construction 
in fiscal Year 2000?
  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I yield to the gentleman from California.
  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Chairman, the funding is included in this bill, H.R. 
4059, for planning and design of the API lab for fiscal year 1999. The 
Navy is expected to move ahead with the planning and design of this 
project beginning on October 1 of this year, so that the construction 
can take place as scheduled in fiscal year 2000.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I thank 
the gentleman for affording me this opportunity to clarify the funding 
situation for the API lab at Lakehurst. There have been far too many 
delays with this project already, and H.R. 4059 will finally set the 
wheels in motion to begin the construction of the API lab at Lakehurst 
in fiscal year 2000.
  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman would continue to yield, 
I thank him for his efforts and leadership and advocacy on behalf of 
the API lab project at Lakehurst. The gentleman's leadership on this 
bill will help the Navy to meet the challenge of naval aviation.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HEFNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 7 minutes to the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Olver), one of the members of the subcommittee.
  Mr. OLVER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from North Carolina 
(Mr. Hefner), our ranking member, for yielding me this time. I want to 
thank the gentleman from California (Chairman Packard) a truly ``gentle 
man,'' for his leadership and his evenhandedness in putting together 
this bill, our bill, H.R. 4059.

                              {time}  1630

  The gentleman from California (Mr. Packard), chairman, and the 
ranking member, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hefner) and 
their excellent staff, particularly Hank Moore and Tom Forhan, have 
made my 2 years on the subcommittee a learning experience and a 
pleasure.
  On my side of the aisle, what can I say about the retiring ranking 
member that has not already been said in the newspapers here in 
Washington and in North Carolina? The gentleman has made a lasting mark 
on this subcommittee as both chairman and ranking member, and he will 
be greatly missed. We all wish him the best from here.
  This bill is as good as I think it can be, given the allocation that 
has really been foisted upon the subcommittee by the 1997 Balanced 
Budget Act, and I certainly urge its very quick passage.
  I must send up a couple of signals, which lie somewhere between 
yellow cautionary and red crisis, in relation to the whole subject of 
military construction, because this bill, if it were enacted exactly as 
it is, would be more than $2 billion below the appropriated level just 
four years ago. That is a huge hit on a budget which is really in the 
$10 billion category, $10 billion level in the first place.
  So one might ask, what does it matter? Some Members think that the 
military construction bill is all hangars and armories, but it is 
really a lot more than that. It is environmental compliance and 
cleanup. It is energy conservation. It is hospital and medical 
facilities. It is child development centers. It is family housing for 
the growing numbers of our peacetime service personnel who have spouses 
and children.
  I would like to focus on just that one last category, the family 
housing program, for just a minute, pointing out that the gentleman 
from North Carolina (Mr. Hefner), when he was Chair, and the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Packard) in the past several years that he has 
been the Chair for the committee, have labored mightily each year to 
support the family housing program and do the best they could with the 
numbers that we have been given.
  But if this bill is enacted, as I am sure, if it is enacted as it has 
been proposed here under the constraints of the Balanced Budget Act of 
1997, the program for family housing will be down 19 percent, down in 
actual dollars by 19 percent since fiscal year 1996, from fiscal year 
1996 to the present.
  I just would like to address, call Members' attention, call the 
membership's attention to the sections in the report on H.R. 4059 on 
family housing, a report that points out that military family housing 
and the need for that has changed with the all volunteer structure of 
the force. Whereas 40 years ago only about 40 percent of our military 
personnel had families, now, 40 years later, it is over 60 percent who 
have families. Today the family housing program is the quality of life 
incentive that attracts and retains, and I am quoting really from the 
report, dedicated individuals to serve in the military. The housing 
deficiencies are a severe disincentive to reenlistment.
  Now, it has been the Department of Defense policy that married 
couples will live off base with their families whenever it is possible 
and when there is housing available, and a good number of them do live 
off base. One out of roughly 8 is living off base in substandard 
housing because there is not adequate housing in the area for them. And 
in spite of the policy, with that policy, and because there is not 
adequate housing available, we have under the Department of Defense a 
total of over 300,000 units of housing on base, and the majority of 
that housing, the majority of those units are substandard. And in order 
to do the replacement and bring up to standard those housing units 
would require something like $15 billion.
  Now, with the kind of appropriation that we are having forced upon 
this subcommittee by the terms of the Balanced Budget Act, it is almost 
inevitable that we are not going to be able to catch up on this family 
housing

[[Page H4906]]

need, that we are going to fall further behind on that, despite what I 
have said is the yeoman effort on the part of the ranking member, when 
he was chairman, and the present chairman to try to deal with that.
  I just want to speak to that as one issue or problem when that budget 
is dropping by as much as it is in the appropriated, final appropriated 
levels. In totality, this budget funds training and housing and health 
care and child care for the men and women who do our dirty work, and 
they deserve every penny that is in this bill and they deserve more.
  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HEFNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Edwards), a valued member of the subcommittee.
  Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the 
time.
  No war was ever won with technology alone. Battles and wars, whether 
in the 15th century or in the 20th or 21st century, require quality men 
and women, dedicated to our country, well trained, capable of defending 
our national interest. That is why this piece of legislation is so 
important to our Nation and our children's future.
  It is important because in this legislation is the funding for 
quality of life issues for our military families. In today's all 
volunteer force, I can think of few things more important to our long-
term national security than ensuring quality housing facilities and day 
care facilities for military families, often split by thousands of 
miles as the father or mother are off deployed to other nations, or 
even fighting for the interests of our country, while their children 
remain at home.
  I want to say that I am deeply disappointed that this bill spends $1 
billion less before inflation is even taken into account than the 
military construction budget of just one year ago. It seems to me that 
a Congress that can somehow find $20 to $30 billion for increased 
funding for potholes and highways in the recent highway bill ought not 
to have to cut day-care centers and housing programs for men and women 
willing to put their lives on the line for this country. But that 
criticism, that disappointment has nothing to do with the leadership of 
the Committee on Appropriations or this subcommittee. That is a 
decision made at a different pay level.
  I would urge Speaker Gingrich and the leadership of this House and 
the Committee on the Budget, who made the decision to cut military 
construction funding by $1 billion this year, to reconsider that cut 
and that budget as we review the budget in the months ahead.
  I must say, as a compliment to those people who did not set the 
overall level of spending, no two Members could have done a better job 
in fighting for our military families and their quality of life than 
the gentleman from California (Mr. Packard), chairman of the 
subcommittee, and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hefner), the 
ranking member. I want to applaud them not only for their dedication to 
military families and a strong national defense, but I want to applaud 
them for the bipartisan manner in which they have put this bill 
together.
  The reason, Mr. Chairman, people will not see a lot of Members on the 
floor during this debate, the reason there will not be an visceral 
disagreement of debate on this issue is simply because the gentlemen 
have done the business of the House and our country the way it should 
be done, on a fair, bipartisan basis. For that, we all say thank you to 
both of them.
  I think the bipartisan nature of Mr. Packard and Mr. Hefner's work 
together should be a model, not an exception to the rule, for this and 
future Congresses.
  Finally, Mr. Chairman, the reason I truly wanted to be on the floor 
of the House this afternoon was to say thank you for a lifetime of 
service to our colleague and my dear friend, the gentleman from North 
Carolina (Mr. Hefner). In the 7\1/2\ years I have had the privilege to 
serve in this body, I have considered no one a better friend than the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hefner), who took this young green 
Member from the State of Texas under his wing and helped me as I tried 
to learn the process of Congress in my effort to represent Ft. Hood, 
which is now the largest populated Army installation in the world.
  Not only through his service as chairman of the Subcommittee on 
Military Construction for over a decade but also because of his many 
years of service as a member of the very powerful military subcommittee 
of the Committee on Appropriations, the gentleman from North Carolina 
(Mr. Hefner) has made a difference for the military families of this 
Nation. He has made a difference in ensuring that America has a strong 
national defense. On behalf of my two little boys, who will live in a 
safer world because of the service in Congress of the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Hefner), I want to express my deep-felt gratitude 
to the gentleman from North Carolina. I know in the weeks and months 
ahead, many, many of my colleagues will join me in reflecting these 
feelings toward the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hefner) and his 
service.
  Let me also say beyond the scope of these two important committees on 
which he serves, I have seen no Member that has shown greater courage 
on the floor of this House week after week, month after month. When one 
comes to floor and looks up at Mr. Hefner's light, yeah or nay on a 
bill, they may not know the best political vote but they know what the 
right vote is. As someone who was not here in 1981, I can only imagine 
how difficult it was for a southern Democrat from North Carolina to 
vote against President Reagan's tax bill, which, in the opinion of 
some, not all, had something to do with the increased national debt 
that we face today.
  But whether you agreed or disagreed with him, to have the courage to 
vote ``no'' on that bill and ``yes'' and ``no'' on so many other 
important pieces of legislation, to be motivated by doing what his 
conscience told him was right, that is the sort of thing that causes 
all of us throughout the country, as well as the constituents of his in 
North Carolina, to have a deep and abiding respect for the gentleman 
from North Carolina (Mr. Hefner).
  So on behalf of my colleagues that serve on the committee and all 
others who are here and who will be here in the days ahead to speak of 
the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hefner), recognizing this is his 
last time to come to the floor as part of leadership in bringing the 
military construction budget to this House, I want to express my 
lifelong respect and gratitude for Mr. Hefner's friendship and 
leadership on behalf of our Nation.
  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Livingston), chairman of the full 
Committee on Appropriations.
  (Mr. LIVINGSTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. LIVINGSTON. Mr. Chairman, I first want to rise and congratulate 
the chairman, the gentleman from California (Mr. Packard), and the 
ranking member, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hefner), for 
once again doing the outstanding job that both of them are accustomed 
to doing on this bill. The gentleman from Texas preceded me by pointing 
out a few problems that they had to work with. He failed to mention, 
though, that the administration had underfunded the military 
construction part of the budget by some $1.4 billion.
  I share his concern that we should not deprive the men and women of 
the military of the accoutrements that lead to a better quality of life 
for them. And for that reason, within our given budget limits, within 
the fact that we are living within a balanced budget with very strict 
budget ceilings, I am very pleased that we were able to put back in 
$450 million into this subcommittee so that they could apply that money 
to the needs of the servicemen and women of America.
  I am concerned. I share his concern that the administration would 
underfund this account by $1.4 billion. That being said, in the same 
bipartisan fashion that the gentleman used who preceded me, let me say 
that the two gentlemen that manage this bill exemplify the type of 
bipartisan spirit that is not only welcomed but is so critically 
necessary to the conduct of the business of the House of 
Representatives.

[[Page H4907]]

                              {time}  1645

  Together they have worked well on behalf of both the young men and 
women of our armed services and on behalf of America. I just want to 
congratulate them from the bottom of my heart.
  But I want to reiterate and exaggerate those congratulations to the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hefner) from Concord, North 
Carolina, about 60 miles from Fort Bragg, who has represented the 
Eighth Congressional District of North Carolina so well since he was 
first elected in Congress in 1974.
  The fact is that the gentleman began service on this subcommittee in 
1981. Whether as chairman of the subcommittee when his team was in the 
majority or as ranking member when our team took over the majority, the 
fact is that he has been steadfast in his devotion to serve America and 
to serve the people who have rendered themselves valiant service in the 
cause of America in uniform.
  I particularly appreciate the effort that the gentleman has made on 
behalf of America's military, but also I want to say that he has 
distinguished himself in so many other ways during his service here. 
First, he is a great golfer who participated with me in one of the most 
memorable golf events in my life, which I did not distinguish myself, 
but he certainly did. He played well, and I will let him complete the 
record on the rest of it.
  Secondly, he is a man of enormous sensibilities and great sense of 
humor. He has played host to the chile cookoff, which is a function 
that occurs on an annual basis for congressional wives. Try as we 
might, we have never been able to come up with anybody who could 
compare with him in hosting this event. I must say I saw his 
performance this year, and I think he outdid even himself.
  The gentleman has got a wonderful sense of humor. He not only is an 
accomplished musician and accomplished musical performer, but as a 
stand-up comic, he is unparalleled. I want to thank him for his service 
to this country. I want to thank him for his spirit of bipartisanship 
which contributed mightily to this bill. I want to take this 
opportunity to wish him and his family all of the best of luck and 
success in everything that he does henceforth.
  Mr. HEFNER. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that we have 2 
extra hours.
  The CHAIRMAN. The Chair cannot entertain such a request at this time.
  Mr. HEFNER. Mr. Chairman, could the Chair enlighten us as to how much 
time is remaining for each side?
  The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hefner) has 
15\1/2\ minutes remaining. The gentleman from California (Mr. Packard) 
has 20\1/2\ minutes remaining.
  Mr. HEFNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), the ranking member on the Committee on 
Appropriations
  Mr. OBEY. Mr. Chairman, I very much thank the gentleman for the time. 
I simply wanted to come to the floor to really pay honor to the 
gentleman who is managing this bill on this side of the aisle for the 
last time, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hefner).
  I have known Bill since the first day he walked into this 
institution, and I have never seen a day when he did not bring honor to 
this House by his service. He has, as our chairman has already 
indicated, a wonderful sense of humor. He has a wonderful sense of 
music. He also has a wonderful sense of honor.
  Those that know him know that religion means a lot to him. But as we 
have seen him demonstrate often on this floor, he also has a very 
healthy skepticism about the use to which some politicians put 
religion, or at least their professed religiosity.
  The gentleman has indicated time and time again that he recognizes 
all too often the propensity of some people in public life to wrap an 
economic or political message in a religious ribbon and call it 
religion when it is, in fact, something very, very different, something 
which demeans God and demeans religion.
  He, I think, understands that there are some things in life that are 
too important to politicize, religion being one of them. I have admired 
for so long his ability on an issue to be righteous without being 
sanctimonious.
  He has, I think, demonstrated in countless ways on countless days a 
sense of justice, a sense of outrage against injustice, and most of 
all, a political courage that we wish would be emulated more often on 
this floor than it is.
  In addition to being a first-rate legislator, he is a first-rate 
human being. I for one will miss him greatly. I will miss his good 
judgment. I will miss his good temper. I will miss his wonderful sense 
of humor. I will certainly miss the opportunities that I have had 
through the years to play my bluegrass harmonica in backup to his 
gospel singing. His gospel singing is better than my bluegrass 
harmonica, but we have had a lot of fun doing that.
  I simply want to say to young people who will be entering this House 
in the future, they could do a lot worse than to emulate the style of 
the gentleman from North Carolina. He has brought grace to this House. 
He has brought determination and courage and guts to this House.
  As someone else indicated, I have never heard him ask what is the 
political vote. I have often heard him ask what is the right vote. That 
is the right question that ought to be asked in this institution.
  So, Bill, we are going to miss you, but we know that wherever you 
are, you will be keeping an eye on us. From time to time, I think you 
will be pulling our leash to let us know when you think we are getting 
out of line. It has been a pleasure to serve with you.
  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time for 
closing.
  Mr. HEFNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  We still have just a couple speakers, but I did not realize that 
these folks were going to say these nice things about me after all 
these years. I guess it is just a pent-up exuberance that they have 
been building up over the years, hoping one day I would retire and they 
would be able to say nice things.
  I was kind of hoping for a watch, but I guess that is not going to 
materialize. At least, I have a road that is going to be named after 
me. I am working with the Governor of North Carolina to see if we can 
make it into a toll road which will be some benefit in my old age and 
in my retirement.
  But serving in this body has been something that I could never have 
dreamed about when I was a kid growing up in rural Alabama. I had never 
been to the capital of Alabama, Montgomery, let alone to think someday 
I would be able to come to the Capitol of the United States and 
represent a half a million people. So it has really been a tremendous 
experience for me.
  I defend this body and I defend the Members in this body, because I 
believe that if we take all 435 of us and we put us up to the scrutiny 
and put 435 average citizens across this country up to the same 
scrutiny, that we would stack up very, very well among the rank and 
file of people in this country.
  We all want the same things for our country, for our States, and for 
our families. We just have a little bit different way sometimes how we 
want to get there. But it has been an honor for me to serve in this 
body, and it has certainly been an honor for me to serve on this 
committee and this subcommittee.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from the 18th 
District of Texas, (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from 
North Carolina for yielding to me. He took away my momentum. That watch 
was coming, but we are checking the gift rule.
  But I could not come to the floor for a better occasion than to thank 
the gentleman from California (Mr. Packard) as well for his leadership 
and certainly the ranking member.
  I think that any time someone maintains themselves in this body for 
24 years, has seen the conclusion of the Vietnam War, one of the most 
tragic periods in our history, watching just a few miles down the road 
the return of the 265-plus Marine bodies in the Lebanon tragedy, and 
certainly now at one point facing the crisis in Bosnia.
  I think the ranking member knows full well the importance of our 
military personnel and particularly this committee that helps to house 
them

[[Page H4908]]

and respect them for who they are. So I personally, as a nonmember of 
the committee, wanted to thank the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. 
Hefner) for his leadership and as well his quiet deliberation.
  There is good humor in what he says on many occasions, but there is 
also wisdom. I thank the gentleman as a second-term Member for his 
wisdom and for challenging the rest of us that we should combine debate 
and adversarial activities with knowledge and wisdom and sensitivity, 
and I appreciate and applaud him for that.
  This bill is an important bill. I am not a member of the community of 
those who are on this committee, but as I go about my business in 
Texas, I consider Texas sort of a feeder school for the United States 
military.
  Throughout my district, high school students are enrolled in ROTC. 
Many of them look to the United States as a source for their future, 
and I applaud them for that and encourage them for that. In fact, as 
someone representing what has been termed as a majority minority 
district, I go in particular to the inner city schools and encourage 
those that are interested in the U.S. military to become involved.
  For that reason, this military construction appropriations bill is 
very important, because my young people who enter into the military 
make it a career, and bring their families there who need the kind of 
housing that will be provided by this legislation, troop housing, 
hospitals, and medical facilities, NATO infrastructure, and other 
activities associated with base closings which Texas knows so much 
about.
  I would have wanted more, but I applaud the leadership of the ranking 
member and chairperson for bringing about the funding that we now have. 
It is more than the administration would have provided. I am glad of 
that.
  Unfortunately, I wish that we could press the button, if you will, 
for more money for our family housing; though the $3.5 billion for 
family housing is 43 percent of the total, $635 for new barracks, 10 
percent more than requested, but, again, we need to do more.
  The measure also provides the $1.7 billion for base realignment, $31 
million for new construction and improvements to existing day care 
centers. If I might, Mr. Chairman, I would like to dwell on that for a 
moment.
  First of all, in this military construction scenario, I would like to 
emphasize the access and the availability of including our local 
businesses, our small and minority businesses in assisting with this 
construction, whether it is domestically or foreign.
  That is a very important economic piece to many of our communities. I 
want to ensure that at least my voice is heard to ensure that our 
military, knowing that the affirmative action has not been eliminated 
in Federal law, that we make sure that we outreach to the small 
businesses.
  But I really wanted to focus as a member and participant in the 
Congressional Children's Caucus on the importance of the increased 
money for day care. Let me thank the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Packard). Let me thank the ranking member as well for having emphasized 
something that I have heard from military personnel over and over.
  Most critical is what H.R. 4059 does for our children. There are 
roughly 300,000 children involved in military day care. So the 
additional monies is extremely important. The Secretary of Defense 
established a goal of providing quality child care to 65 percent of the 
potential need in 1992.
  I think we will be there when we are able to provide 80 percent of 
the child care need that is so very important. DOD will be conducting a 
demonstration project to review ways of providing child care services 
by using third-party contracting. I encourage that as a participant of 
the Congressional Children's Caucus.
  I would also say that we must emphasize and make sure that we have 
the right kind of family housing. So let us remember that these men and 
women are, in fact, the survival of the freedom of the democratic 
principles of our country.
  Can we do any less than to provide them with safe housing, good 
hospitals, and, yes, protection and protected environment for their 
children? I applaud this legislation, and I thank the two gentleman for 
their collaborative efforts. Most importantly, let me salute my ranking 
member for the highway and byway, but for his leadership and for his 
commitment.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise today to address H.R. 4059, the Military 
Construction Appropriations bill for FY 1999.
  In general, the bill provides a total of $8.2 billion for military 
construction, including family and troop housing, hospitals and medical 
facilities, NATO infrastructure, and activities associated with the 
last two rounds of base closings. I am pleased that the bill includes:
  $3.5 billion for family housing (43% of the bill's total), slightly 
more than the President requested, but 10% less than was appropriated 
in FY 1998;
  $635 million for new barracks, 10% more than requested, but 24% less 
than the current appropriation;
  The measure also provides $1.7 billion for base realignment and 
closures previously authorized by Congress (16% less than in current 
year); and
  H.R. 4059 appropriates $31 million for new construction and 
improvements to existing daycare centers for military dependents ($8 
million more than the administration's request).
  As chair of the Children's Caucus, I am very pleased that money is 
increased for daycare. In short, the measure goes far in accomplishing 
much for the well-being of our military. Most critical is what H.R. 
4059 seeks to do for children and their parents. There are roughly 
300,000 children involved in military daycare.
  First, the Appropriations Committee has recommended an additional 
$7.9 million above the budget estimate of $23.15 million for a total 
appropriation of (roughly) $31 million for new construction, or 
improvements, for child development centers.
  In 1992, the secretary of defense established a goal of providing 
quality child care to 65% of the potential need in 1992. The Army 
proudly met the 65% goal this year. The Marine Corps expects to reach 
the goal by 2002, and the Air Force and Navy are programmed to reach 
65% by 2003. The Appropriations Committee notes that to optimally meet 
the DOD's demand an 80% goal must be achieved.
  The Appropriations Committee correctly recognizes the increased 
importance of these centers due to the rising number of single military 
parents, dual military couples, and military personnel with a civilian 
employed spouse. The Committee report states that the DOD is encouraged 
to maintain all efforts possible to meet 80% of the child care need.
  Second, the DOD is conducting demonstration projects to review ways 
of providing child care services by using third party contracting, such 
as purchasing spaces in accredited child development centers by buying 
down the cost for military families. The Defense Logistics Agency is 
testing, for example, the management and operation of a military-
constructed child development center by a private contractor in Ohio.
  As a co-chair of the Children's Caucus in the House, I commend these 
efforts to secure quality housing and child care facilities for the 
children of our nation's fighting men and women.
  Another key component of Military Construction Appropriations bill is 
family housing for the men and women of our nation's armed services. 
The committee report takes note of the changing nature, if you will, of 
military housing as our all-volunteer force has led to more service 
members with families. This change has coincided with a general decline 
in the standard of housing suitable for today's military to create a 
severe discincentive to re-enlistment.
  Of the amount appropriated for family housing, the bill allocates the 
president's request of $2.8 billion to operate and maintain existing 
family housing units. The funds are used for maintenance and repair, 
furnishings, management, services, utilities, leasing, interest, 
mortgage insurance and miscellaneous expenses.
  What's more, this measure appropriates $301 million for the 
construction of 1,871 new family housing units ($31 million more than 
the administration's request). The total includes $105 million from the 
Family Housing Improvement Fund.
  Furthermore, the bill also provides $7.5 million for the Homeowners' 
Assistance Fund for F.Y. 1999 ($5 million less than requested by the 
president). The fund helps personnel who have been affected by the 
closure of military bases.
  Mr. Chairman, I strongly encourage my esteemed colleagues to support 
H.R. 4059.

                              {time}  1700

  Mr. HEFNER. Mr. Chairman, I apologize for all the speakers, but the 
requests just keep coming in. Far be it from me to curtail anybody 
wanting to say a nice word after all these years on my behalf.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Pallone), a very good friend who is one of the finer Members of this 
House.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Chairman, let me just say about the gentleman from

[[Page H4909]]

North Carolina (Mr. Hefner), I know a lot has been mentioned about his 
years of service and his sense of humor and his musical abilities, and 
all those are certainly true, but I just want to say, I have only been 
here 10 years, but I have noticed on many occasions both within our 
Democratic Caucus as well as on this House floor where his statements 
have been crucial in swaying the Members of this body to vote a certain 
way or to support certain legislation. In many ways he has been one of 
those people that is sort of the conscience of this body and 
particularly of our Democratic Caucus. I know that has been recognized, 
but I do not know if it was mentioned today. We will sorely miss him 
because of what he contributes to this body and to our Democratic 
Caucus.
  Mr. Chairman, I just want to thank the gentleman from North Carolina 
(Mr. Hefner) again and also the gentleman from California (Mr. Packard) 
for this legislation. I also want to thank the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Pappas) who cochairs our Save our Fort Committee, which is 
a bipartisan committee that deals with two military bases in our two 
districts, Fort Monmouth and Earle Naval Weapons Depot.
  Two projects for which funding was included in this bill are of 
importance to us. One is the addition to the Communication and 
Electronics Command Software Engineering Center at Fort Monmouth and 
the second is the design study for berthing pier replacements at Naval 
Weapons Station Earle. Expansion of Seacom's Software Engineering 
Center will allow Fort Monmouth to intensify its efforts to ensure 
American soldiers have the types of technological advantages that are 
the hallmark of U.S. military forces around the world.
  With respect to Earle, Piers 2 and 3 were constructed in 1944, and 
after over 40 years the time has come to replace them. Because the pier 
complex at Earle is one of the Navy's most important facilities on the 
eastern seaboard, it is extremely important that resources be provided 
for their upkeep. I am very pleased the committee has recognized the 
importance of Earle's mission and thank my colleagues for approving the 
first step of the DOD's long-term plan to modernize Piers 2 and 3 at 
Earle.
  I just want to thank again my colleagues on the committee, and 
particularly the chairman and retiring member the gentleman from North 
Carolina.
  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter).
  (Mr. BEREUTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4059. I 
would also like to express a very special and sincere thanks to the 
chairman of the appropriations subcommittee, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Packard); and to also express appreciation to the 
ranking Democrat of the subcommittee, the distinguished gentleman from 
North Carolina who is receiving such understandably high praise today 
in light of his career here in the House. And, of course, I thank the 
chairman and the ranking member of the full committee for their 
assistance.
  Their assistance to this Member relates to efforts in approving 
funding for the Nebraska National Guard Joint Army-Air Medical Training 
Facility located in Nebraska's First Congressional District which I 
represent. I know it is particularly important in light of the limited 
financial resources for the subcommittee's work this year.
  The new facility will be a unique cost saving military construction 
project for both Nebraska's Army and Air National Guard units. It will 
provide resources jointly to fund the construction project. While this 
joint funding construction arrangement is unusual and was initially 
bureaucratically challenged, to say the least, it is the reasonable way 
to go, for a jointly used facility is by far the most cost-effective 
and economical use of taxpayer resources. Is it not ironic that taking 
the most cost-effective approach in spending the taxpayers' money is 
not always the easiest bureaucratic course? This project will go a long 
way toward improving the quality of training that the Army and the Air 
National Guard health professionals will receive, and will also improve 
the quality of health care provided to their personnel.
  In conclusion, I want to express my sincere thanks to the National 
Guard Bureau and especially to the authorizing and appropriating 
subcommittees for assisting this Member in his efforts to make this 
joint, cost-effective project a reality. The gentleman from California 
(Mr. Packard) and his staff have been assisting this Member in this 
effort for more than a year now to bring us to this point. I thank the 
gentleman for that effort. This is a frugally prepared piece of 
legislation worthy of support. I urge my colleagues to vote ``aye.''
  Mr. HEFNER. Mr. Chairman, I have one other speaker, but I would be 
remiss if I did not single out one particular person who has been very 
dedicated to this process and to this subcommittee, Liz Dawson, who has 
labored absolutely far beyond the call of duty. Liz, we are going to 
miss you. We hope the very best for you. You have done a tremendous job 
through all these years.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut 
(Mr. Gejdenson).
  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Chairman, in this institution through the years we 
see many people come and go. The great wealth of American ability is 
that they get replaced by capable individuals that go on to represent 
their constituents. It is not often that a vacuum is felt in this 
Chamber. This is a very vibrant country. Most of us when we leave here 
and go back to our personal lives, while occasionally remembered, the 
society runs just fine, and the institution runs fine.
  We are going to miss our friend the gentleman from North Carolina 
(Mr. Hefner). We are going to miss him not just because of his 
personality and his friendship but because the courage he has exhibited 
on this floor over and over again on so many issues. People always talk 
about political courage as if there is a political benefit for 
political courage, but I think most people inside this institution know 
that oftentimes in the instances where there is the greatest political 
courage, there is actually a larger political cost. You lose more votes 
for being courageous. You are often safer playing in the middle of the 
road.
  The gentleman from North Carolina has not done that. In the years 
here on tough vote after tough vote, he stood up for what he believed 
to be right, right for the country and right for his constituents. At 
times I guess it has cost him some votes back home. But from the people 
that know him and admire him as I do, it just increased our respect for 
the work he has done here.
  We often do not get this sentimental in speaking about each other, 
but in the 18 years that I will be here at the end of this term, I 
cannot think of but several other Members that I hold in the same high 
standard as I do the gentleman from North Carolina. He has been a good 
friend, he has been a great Member of Congress, and he has used his 
political base and capital for the betterment of this country and his 
district. For that we all owe him a great debt of gratitude.
  Mr. HEFNER. Mr. Chairman, I hope that every Member of this body will 
vote ``aye'' on this military construction bill, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Chairman, I wish to conclude this debate by just simply saying 
how much I appreciate the work that the staff has done on my side of 
the aisle. Liz Dawson, Hank Moore and Mary Arnold have done yeoman's 
work for years on this subcommittee and certainly have made my job 
easy. On the Democratic side, Tom Forhan and Irene Schecter. We deeply 
appreciate the work that each of our staff does. They serve the 
gentleman from North Carolina and myself very well.
  I really appreciate the Members who have come to the floor on both 
sides of the aisle and expressed their feelings about the character and 
the service of the gentleman from North Carolina, and I certainly wish 
to relate myself to those remarks. He has been a remarkable Member. I 
have deep love and affection for him and for the work he has done for 
the country.
  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this bill. This bill 
appropriates $450 million

[[Page H4910]]

above the President's request for military construction. However, it 
represents a total decrease of approximately $974 million from last 
year's bill.
  As a member of the installations and facilities authorizing 
subcommittee, I continue to be concerned about the backlog of unfunded 
military construction projects in our Armed Forces. Those concerns are 
evident throughout this bill.
  I would like to highlight two areas. The bill provides $125 million 
or chemical weapons demilitarization, including $29.5 million for the 
Newport Army Ammunition Plant in Indiana. Timely destruction of our 
chemical weapons is a time-sensitive problem. This bill, along with 
National Security Committee's authorization bill, outlines the long-
term plan to destroy the stockpile.
  The bill also appropriates $309 million for Guard and Reserve 
construction. Maintaining our Guard and Reserve facilities is a key to 
readiness. While the bill provides nearly $130 million more than the 
Presidents request, the total is $155 million less than last year's 
amount.
  In this 14th year of real decline in the Defense budget, I intend to 
vote for this bill, but with the warning that we need to pay more 
attention to Defense spending if we intend to remain the sole remaining 
superpower in this world.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the 
Military Construction Appropriations bill which provides $8.2 billion 
for the construction of up-to-date facilities for our hard-working men 
and women in the military and their families. I, along with my 
colleagues on the Military Construction Appropriations Subcommittee, 
feel that this is a good bill that addresses serious health and human 
safety issues at our aging military bases.
  I am pleased that 2 crucial projects in my area are included in the 
bill. One of these projects is replacement of the antiquated, 30-year 
old Air Traffic Control Tower at Travis Air Force base. I've been up in 
that tower a number of times and felt the entire structure sway under 
my feet, and I can vouch for the absolute necessity to have a new one 
built as soon as possible. The current tower is extremely dangerous, 
and I'm pleased that construction of a new tower can begin this year.
  Antoher important provision included in the bill is language 
instructing the Army to demolish buildings and clean up environmental 
hazards at the Rio Vista Army Reserve Center in an expedited fashion. 
The Rio Vista Army Reserve Center was all but abandoned in the late 
80's, and the Army has done little to maintain the property since that 
time. With my help in 1994, the residents of Rio Vista jumped at the 
chance to take over the base property and convert it to a recreational 
area. But the slow pace of the Army's environmental clean-up has 
hampered the community's efforts to begin construction of new 
facilities. I am pleased that the community can now put their plans 
into action.
  Because of these and other important health and safety projects in 
the Military Construction Appropriations bill, I would urge my 
colleagues to vote for the bill.
  Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 4059, the 
Military Construction Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 1999. I wish 
to commend Chairman Packard, Ranking Member Hefner and the Committee on 
Appropriations for crafting a bill which provides the necessary funding 
to improve the quality of life for our men and women in the Armed 
Forces.
  I believe that this measure goes far in addressing the backlog in 
readiness, revitalization, and quality of life projects. The measure 
before us today will fund the planning and construction of several 
barracks, family housing and operational facilities.
  The Second Congressional District of Georgia is home to three 
military installations; Fort Benning, home of the 75th Ranger Regiment, 
Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, home of the 347th Fighter Wing, and 
the Marine Corps Logistics Center in Albany. I have seen first hand the 
excellent work that our fighting men and women do, often under very 
difficult circumstances. Our responsibility is to make their jobs 
easier. We cannot expect to attract qualified recruits if we provide 
inadequate facilities for them to work out of.
  This measure would provide Fort Benning with $28,600,000 to construct 
barracks, a soldier community building, a battalion headquarters with 
classroom building, and company operations buildings. It will also 
provide the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Albany $2,800,000 with a 
Child Development Center which will increase the Base's current 
capacity of 228 to over 300 children. This center will address the 
growing demand for quality child care on our bases. And, it will 
provide $11,000,000 for alterations to a medical and a dental clinic. 
These expansion and modernization plans will positively contribute to 
the delivery of quality health care and patient accessibility to 
quality medical care.
  The portions of the bill I just spoke of place a human face on this 
debate. We know that we have the most technologically advanced military 
in the world. It is time we improve the quality of life for the men and 
women who are the heart and soul of that military. This bill does a 
very good job of doing just that! Therefore, I strongly urge my 
colleagues to support this measure.
  The CHAIRMAN. All time for general debate has expired.
  Pursuant to the rule, the bill shall be considered for amendment 
under the 5-minute rule.
  During consideration of the bill for amendment, the Chair may accord 
priority in recognition to a Member offering an amendment that he has 
printed in the designated place in the Congressional Record. Those 
amendments will be considered read.
  The Chairman of the Committee of the Whole may postpone a request for 
a recorded vote on any amendment and may reduce to a minimum of 5 
minutes the time for voting on any postponed question that immediately 
follows another vote, provided that the time for voting on the first 
question shall be a minimum of 15 minutes.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:
       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the 
     following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the 
     Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the fiscal year 
     ending September 30, 1999, for military construction, family 
     housing, and base realignment and closure functions 
     administered by the Department of Defense, and for other 
     purposes, namely:

                      Military Construction, Army

       For acquisition, construction, installation, and equipment 
     of temporary or permanent public works, military 
     installations, facilities, and real property for the Army as 
     currently authorized by law, including personnel in the Army 
     Corps of Engineers and other personal services necessary for 
     the purposes of this appropriation, and for construction and 
     operation of facilities in support of the functions of the 
     Commander in Chief, $780,599,000, to remain available until 
     September 30, 2003: Provided, That of this amount, not to 
     exceed $63,792,000 shall be available for study, planning, 
     design, architect and engineer services, and host nation 
     support, as authorized by law, unless the Secretary of 
     Defense determines that additional obligations are necessary 
     for such purposes and notifies the Committees on 
     Appropriations of both Houses of Congress of his 
     determination and the reasons therefor.

  Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
  Mr. Chairman, I thank Members on both sides for allowing me to do 
this. I came late to be a part of what I guess will be the gentleman 
from North Carolina's official management of the military construction 
bill. I would be remiss if I did not have an opportunity to join with 
my colleagues in saying what a yeoman's job he has done, but what an 
outstanding job he has done for the State of North Carolina and how 
grateful we are for his leadership. We will miss him for a lot of 
things. Among those as being uniquely the gentleman from North Carolina 
not only as singer, a kidder and a joker but being a legislator with 
heart and having the gumption to speak his feeling so people would know 
his passion. But also for the people that we jointly represent, the 
people of Cumberland County. That is where Fort Bragg is.
  I certainly would be remiss on this last bill if the military men and 
women who serve our country so well in that area did not through me say 
thank you for all the things that he has done for the military 
throughout the United States but particularly for Fort Bragg.
  The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                      Military Construction, Navy

       For acquisition, construction, installation, and equipment 
     of temporary or permanent public works, naval installations, 
     facilities, and real property for the Navy as currently 
     authorized by law, including personnel in the Naval 
     Facilities Engineering Command and other personal services 
     necessary for the purposes of this appropriation, 
     $570,643,000, to remain available until September 30, 2003: 
     Provided, That of this amount, not to exceed $60,346,000 
     shall be available for study, planning, design, architect and 
     engineer services, as authorized by law, unless the Secretary 
     of Defense determines that additional obligations are 
     necessary for such purposes and notifies the Committees on 
     Appropriations of both Houses of Congress of his 
     determination and the reasons therefor.

                    Military Construction, Air Force

       For acquisition, construction, installation, and equipment 
     of temporary or permanent public works, military 
     installations, facilities, and real property for the Air 
     Force as currently authorized by law, $550,475,000, to remain 
     available until September 30, 2003: Provided, That of this 
     amount, not to exceed

[[Page H4911]]

     $37,592,000 shall be available for study, planning, design, 
     architect and engineer services, as authorized by law, unless 
     the Secretary of Defense determines that additional 
     obligations are necessary for such purposes and notifies the 
     Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress of 
     his determination and the reasons therefor.

                  Military Construction, Defense-wide


                     (including transfer of funds)

       For acquisition, construction, installation, and equipment 
     of temporary or permanent public works, installations, 
     facilities, and real property for activities and agencies of 
     the Department of Defense (other than the military 
     departments), as authorized by law, $611,075,000, to remain 
     available until September 30, 2003: Provided, That such 
     amounts of this appropriation as may be determined by the 
     Secretary of Defense may be transferred to such 
     appropriations of the Department of Defense available for 
     military construction or family housing as he may designate, 
     to be merged with and to be available for the same purposes, 
     and for the same time period, as the appropriation or fund to 
     which transferred: Provided further, That of the amount 
     appropriated, not to exceed $24,866,000 shall be available 
     for study, planning, design, architect and engineer services, 
     as authorized by law, unless the Secretary of Defense 
     determines that additional obligations are necessary for such 
     purposes and notifies the Committees on Appropriations of 
     both Houses of Congress of his determination and the reasons 
     therefor.

               Military Construction, Army National Guard

       For construction, acquisition, expansion, rehabilitation, 
     and conversion of facilities for the training and 
     administration of the Army National Guard, and contributions 
     therefor, as authorized by chapter 1803 of title 10, United 
     States Code, and Military Construction Authorization Acts, 
     $70,338,000, to remain available until September 30, 2003.

               Military Construction, Air National Guard

       For construction, acquisition, expansion, rehabilitation, 
     and conversion of facilities for the training and 
     administration of the Air National Guard, and contributions 
     therefor, as authorized by chapter 1803 of title 10, United 
     States Code, and Military Construction Authorization Acts, 
     $97,701,000, to remain available until September 30, 2003.

                  Military Construction, Army Reserve

       For construction, acquisition, expansion, rehabilitation, 
     and conversion of facilities for the training and 
     administration of the Army Reserve as authorized by chapter 
     1803 of title 10, United States Code, and Military 
     Construction Authorization Acts, $71,894,000, to remain 
     available until September 30, 2003.

                  Military Construction, Naval Reserve

       For construction, acquisition, expansion, rehabilitation, 
     and conversion of facilities for the training and 
     administration of the reserve components of the Navy and 
     Marine Corps as authorized by chapter 1803 of title 10, 
     United States Code, and Military Construction Authorization 
     Acts, $33,721,000, to remain available until September 30, 
     2003.

                Military Construction, Air Force Reserve

       For construction, acquisition, expansion, rehabilitation, 
     and conversion of facilities for the training and 
     administration of the Air Force Reserve as authorized by 
     chapter 1803 of title 10, United States Code, and Military 
     Construction Authorization Acts, $35,371,000, to remain 
     available until September 30, 2003.

                   North Atlantic Treaty Organization

                      Security Investment Program

       For the United States share of the cost of the North 
     Atlantic Treaty Organization Security Investment Program for 
     the acquisition and construction of military facilities and 
     installations (including international military headquarters) 
     and for related expenses for the collective defense of the 
     North Atlantic Treaty Area as authorized in Military 
     Construction Authorization Acts and section 2806 of title 10, 
     United States Code, $169,000,000, to remain available until 
     expended.

                          Family Housing, Army

       For expenses of family housing for the Army for 
     construction, including acquisition, replacement, addition, 
     expansion, extension and alteration and for operation and 
     maintenance, including debt payment, leasing, minor 
     construction, principal and interest charges, and insurance 
     premiums, as authorized by law, as follows: for Construction, 
     $82,840,000, to remain available until September 30, 2003; 
     for Operation and Maintenance, and for debt payment, 
     $1,097,697,000; in all $1,180,537,000.

                 Family Housing, Navy and Marine Corps

       For expenses of family housing for the Navy and Marine 
     Corps for construction, including acquisition, replacement, 
     addition, expansion, extension and alteration and for 
     operation and maintenance, including debt payment, leasing, 
     minor construction, principal and interest charges, and 
     insurance premiums, as authorized by law, as follows: for 
     Construction, $130,457,000, to remain available until 
     September 30, 2003; for Operation and Maintenance, and for 
     debt payment, $915,293,000; in all $1,045,750,000.

                       Family Housing, Air Force

       For expenses of family housing for the Air Force for 
     construction, including acquisition, replacement, addition, 
     expansion, extension and alteration and for operation and 
     maintenance, including debt payment, leasing, minor 
     construction, principal and interest charges, and insurance 
     premiums, as authorized by law, as follows: for Construction, 
     $207,880,000, to remain available until September 30, 2003; 
     for Operation and Maintenance, and for debt payment, 
     $785,204,000; in all $993,084,000.

                      Family Housing, Defense-wide

       For expenses of family housing for the activities and 
     agencies of the Department of Defense (other than the 
     military departments) for construction, including 
     acquisition, replacement, addition, expansion, extension and 
     alteration, and for operation and maintenance, leasing, and 
     minor construction, as authorized by law, as follows: for 
     Construction, $345,000, to remain available until September 
     30, 2003; for Operation and Maintenance, $36,899,000; in all 
     $37,244,000.

         Department of Defense Family Housing Improvement Fund

       For the Department of Defense Family Housing Improvement 
     Fund, $242,438,000, to remain available until expended: 
     Provided, That of this amount, not to exceed $7,000,000 shall 
     be the sole source of funds available during the current 
     fiscal year for planning, administrative, and oversight costs 
     incurred by the Housing Revitalization Support Office 
     relating to military family housing initiatives and military 
     unaccompanied housing initiatives pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2883, 
     pertaining to alternative means of acquiring and improving 
     military family housing, military unaccompanied housing, and 
     supporting facilities.

                  Homeowners Assistance Fund, Defense

       For activities authorized by section 1013(d) of the 
     Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Development Act of 
     1966, as amended (42 U.S.C. 3374), $7,500,000, to remain 
     available until expended.

             Base Realignment and Closure Account, Part III

       For deposit into the Department of Defense Base Closure 
     Account 1990 established by section 2906(a)(1) of the 
     Department of Defense Authorization Act, 1991 (Public Law 
     101-510), $433,464,000, to remain available until expended: 
     Provided, That not more than $271,800,000 of the funds 
     appropriated herein shall be available solely for 
     environmental restoration, unless the Secretary of Defense 
     determines that additional obligations are necessary for such 
     purposes and notifies the Committees on Appropriations of 
     both Houses of Congress of his determination and the reasons 
     therefor.

             Base Realignment and Closure Account, Part IV

       For deposit into the Department of Defense Base Closure 
     Account 1990 established by section 2906(a)(1) of the 
     Department of Defense Authorization Act, 1991 (Public Law 
     101-510), $1,297,240,000, to remain available until expended: 
     Provided, That not more than $426,036,000 of the funds 
     appropriated herein shall be available solely for 
     environmental restoration, unless the Secretary of Defense 
     determines that additional obligations are necessary for such 
     purposes and notifies the Committees on Appropriations of 
     both Houses of Congress of his determination and the reasons 
     therefor.

                           General Provisions

       Sec. 101. None of the funds appropriated in Military 
     Construction Appropriations Acts shall be expended for 
     payments under a cost-plus-a-fixed-fee contract for 
     construction, where cost estimates exceed $25,000, to be 
     performed within the United States, except Alaska, without 
     the specific approval in writing of the Secretary of Defense 
     setting forth the reasons therefor.
       Sec. 102. Funds appropriated to the Department of Defense 
     for construction shall be available for hire of passenger 
     motor vehicles.
       Sec. 103. Funds appropriated to the Department of Defense 
     for construction may be used for advances to the Federal 
     Highway Administration, Department of Transportation, for the 
     construction of access roads as authorized by section 210 of 
     title 23, United States Code, when projects authorized 
     therein are certified as important to the national defense by 
     the Secretary of Defense.
       Sec. 104. None of the funds appropriated in this Act may be 
     used to begin construction of new bases inside the 
     continental United States for which specific appropriations 
     have not been made.
       Sec. 105. No part of the funds provided in Military 
     Construction Appropriations Acts shall be used for purchase 
     of land or land easements in excess of 100 percent of the 
     value as determined by the Army Corps of Engineers or the 
     Naval Facilities Engineering Command, except: (1) where there 
     is a determination of value by a Federal court; or (2) 
     purchases negotiated by the Attorney General or his designee; 
     or (3) where the estimated value is less than $25,000; or (4) 
     as otherwise determined by the Secretary of Defense to be in 
     the public interest.
       Sec. 106. None of the funds appropriated in Military 
     Construction Appropriations Acts shall be used to: (1) 
     acquire land; (2) provide for site preparation; or (3) 
     install utilities for any family housing, except housing for 
     which funds have been made available in annual Military 
     Construction Appropriations Acts.
       Sec. 107. None of the funds appropriated in Military 
     Construction Appropriations Acts for minor construction may 
     be used to transfer or relocate any activity from one base or 
     installation to another, without prior notification to the 
     Committees on Appropriations.

[[Page H4912]]

       Sec. 108. No part of the funds appropriated in Military 
     Construction Appropriations Acts may be used for the 
     procurement of steel for any construction project or activity 
     for which American steel producers, fabricators, and 
     manufacturers have been denied the opportunity to compete for 
     such steel procurement.
       Sec. 109. None of the funds available to the Department of 
     Defense for military construction or family housing during 
     the current fiscal year may be used to pay real property 
     taxes in any foreign nation.
       Sec. 110. None of the funds appropriated in Military 
     Construction Appropriations Acts may be used to initiate a 
     new installation overseas without prior notification to the 
     Committees on Appropriations.
       Sec. 111. None of the funds appropriated in Military 
     Construction Appropriations Acts may be obligated for 
     architect and engineer contracts estimated by the Government 
     to exceed $500,000 for projects to be accomplished in Japan, 
     in any NATO member country, or in countries bordering the 
     Arabian Gulf, unless such contracts are awarded to United 
     States firms or United States firms in joint venture with 
     host nation firms.
       Sec. 112. None of the funds appropriated in Military 
     Construction Appropriations Acts for military construction in 
     the United States territories and possessions in the Pacific 
     and on Kwajalein Atoll, or in countries bordering the Arabian 
     Gulf, may be used to award any contract estimated by the 
     Government to exceed $1,000,000 to a foreign contractor: 
     Provided, That this section shall not be applicable to 
     contract awards for which the lowest responsive and 
     responsible bid of a United States contractor exceeds the 
     lowest responsive and responsible bid of a foreign contractor 
     by greater than 20 percent: Provided further, That this 
     section shall not apply to contract awards for military 
     construction on Kwajalein Atoll for which the lowest 
     responsive and responsible bid is submitted by a Marshallese 
     contractor.
       Sec. 113. The Secretary of Defense is to inform the 
     appropriate committees of Congress, including the Committees 
     on Appropriations, of the plans and scope of any proposed 
     military exercise involving United States personnel thirty 
     days prior to its occurring, if amounts expended for 
     construction, either temporary or permanent, are anticipated 
     to exceed $100,000.
       Sec. 114. Not more than 20 percent of the appropriations in 
     Military Construction Appropriations Acts which are limited 
     for obligation during the current fiscal year shall be 
     obligated during the last two months of the fiscal year.


                           (transfer of funds)

       Sec. 115. Funds appropriated to the Department of Defense 
     for construction in prior years shall be available for 
     construction authorized for each such military department by 
     the authorizations enacted into law during the current 
     session of Congress.
       Sec. 116. For military construction or family housing 
     projects that are being completed with funds otherwise 
     expired or lapsed for obligation, expired or lapsed funds may 
     be used to pay the cost of associated supervision, 
     inspection, overhead, engineering and design on those 
     projects and on subsequent claims, if any.
       Sec. 117. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any 
     funds appropriated to a military department or defense agency 
     for the construction of military projects may be obligated 
     for a military construction project or contract, or for any 
     portion of such a project or contract, at any time before the 
     end of the fourth fiscal year after the fiscal year for which 
     funds for such project were appropriated if the funds 
     obligated for such project: (1) are obligated from funds 
     available for military construction projects and (2) do not 
     exceed the amount appropriated for such project, plus any 
     amount by which the cost of such project is increased 
     pursuant to law.


                           (transfer of funds)

       Sec. 118. During the five-year period after appropriations 
     available to the Department of Defense for military 
     construction and family housing operation and maintenance and 
     construction have expired for obligation, upon a 
     determination that such appropriations will not be necessary 
     for the liquidation of obligations or for making authorized 
     adjustments to such appropriations for obligations incurred 
     during the period of availability of such appropriations, 
     unobligated balances of such appropriations may be 
     transferred into the appropriation ``Foreign Currency 
     Fluctuations, Construction, Defense'' to be merged with and 
     to be available for the same time period and for the same 
     purposes as the appropriation to which transferred.
       Sec. 119. The Secretary of Defense is to provide the 
     Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of 
     Representatives with an annual report by February 15, 
     containing details of the specific actions proposed to be 
     taken by the Department of Defense during the current fiscal 
     year to encourage other member nations of the North Atlantic 
     Treaty Organization, Japan, Korea, and United States allies 
     bordering the Arabian Gulf to assume a greater share of the 
     common defense burden of such nations and the United States.


                           (transfer of funds)

       Sec. 120. During the current fiscal year, in addition to 
     any other transfer authority available to the Department of 
     Defense, proceeds deposited to the Department of Defense Base 
     Closure Account established by section 207(a)(1) of the 
     Defense Authorization Amendments and Base Closure and 
     Realignment Act (Public Law 100-526) pursuant to section 
     207(a)(2)(C) of such Act, may be transferred to the account 
     established by section 2906(a)(1) of the Department of 
     Defense Authorization Act, 1991, to be merged with, and to be 
     available for the same purposes and the same time period as 
     that account.
       Sec. 121. No funds appropriated pursuant to this Act may be 
     expended by an entity unless the entity agrees that in 
     expending the assistance the entity will comply with sections 
     2 through 4 of the Act of March 3, 1933 (41 U.S.C. 10a-10c, 
     popularly known as the ``Buy American Act'').
       Sec. 122. (a) In the case of any equipment or products that 
     may be authorized to be purchased with financial assistance 
     provided under this Act, it is the sense of the Congress that 
     entities receiving such assistance should, in expending the 
     assistance, purchase only American-made equipment and 
     products.
        (b) In providing financial assistance under this Act, the 
     Secretary of the Treasury shall provide to each recipient of 
     the assistance a notice describing the statement made in 
     subsection (a) by the Congress.


                           (transfer of funds)

       Sec. 123. (a) Subject to thirty days prior notification to 
     the Committees on Appropriations, such additional amounts as 
     may be determined by the Secretary of Defense may be 
     transferred to the Department of Defense Family Housing 
     Improvement Fund from amounts appropriated for construction 
     in ``Family Housing'' accounts, to be merged with and to be 
     available for the same purposes and for the same period of 
     time as amounts appropriated directly to the Fund: Provided, 
     That appropriations made available to the Fund shall be 
     available to cover the costs, as defined in section 502(5) of 
     the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, of direct loans or loan 
     guarantees issued by the Department of Defense pursuant to 
     the provisions of subchapter IV of chapter 169, title 10, 
     United States Code, pertaining to alternative means of 
     acquiring and improving military family housing and 
     supporting facilities.
        (b) Subject to thirty days prior notification to the 
     Committees on Appropriations, such additional amounts as may 
     be determined by the Secretary of Defense may be transferred 
     to the Department of Defense Military Unaccompanied Housing 
     Improvement Fund from amounts appropriated for the 
     acquisition or construction of military unaccompanied housing 
     in ``Military Construction'' accounts, to be merged with and 
     to be available for the same purposes and for the same period 
     of time as amounts appropriated directly to the Fund: 
     Provided, That appropriations made available to the Fund 
     shall be available to cover the costs, as defined in section 
     502(5) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, of direct 
     loans or loan guarantees issued by the Department of Defense 
     pursuant to the provisions of subchapter IV of chapter 169, 
     title 10, United States Code, pertaining to alternative means 
     of acquiring and improving military unaccompanied housing and 
     ancillary supporting facilities.
       Sec. 124. (a) Not later than 60 days before issuing any 
     solicitation for a contract with the private sector for 
     military family housing or military unaccompanied housing, 
     the Secretary of the military department concerned shall 
     submit to the congressional defense committees the notice 
     described in subsection (b).
       (b)(1) A notice referred to in subsection (a) is a notice 
     of any guarantee (including the making of mortgage or rental 
     payments) proposed to be made by the Secretary to the private 
     party under the contract involved in the event of--
       (A) the closure or realignment of the installation for 
     which housing is provided under the contract;
       (B) a reduction in force of units stationed at such 
     installation; or
       (C) the extended deployment overseas of units stationed at 
     such installation.
       (2) Each notice under this subsection shall specify the 
     nature of the guarantee involved and assess the extent and 
     likelihood, if any, of the liability of the Federal 
     Government with respect to the guarantee.
       (c) In this section, the term ``congressional defense 
     committees'' means the following:
       (1) The Committee on Armed Services and the Military 
     Construction Subcommittee, Committee on Appropriations of the 
     Senate.
       (2) The Committee on National Security and the Military 
     Construction Subcommittee, Committee on Appropriations of the 
     House of Representatives.
       Sec. 125. Payments received by the Secretary of the Navy 
     pursuant to subsection (b)(1) of section 2842 of the National 
     Defense Authorization Act, 1993 (Public Law 102-484) are 
     appropriated and shall be available for the purposes 
     authorized in subsection (d) of that section.
       Sec. 126. It is the sense of the Congress that the 
     Secretary of the Army should name the ``All American 
     Parkway'' at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as the ``W.G. `Bill' 
     Hefner All American Parkway''.

  Mr. PACKARD (during the reading). Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous 
consent that the remainder of the bill through page 19, line 21, be 
considered as read, printed in the Record, and open to amendment at any 
point.

[[Page H4913]]

  The CHAIRMAN. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from 
California?
  There was no objection.
  The CHAIRMAN. Are there any amendments?
  If not, the Clerk will read the last two lines of the bill.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       This Act may be cited as the ``Military Construction 
     Appropriations Act, 1999''.

  The CHAIRMAN. If there are no further amendments, pursuant to the 
rule, the Committee rises.
  Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. 
Bereuter) having assumed the chair, Mr. Pease, Chairman of the 
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, reported that 
that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4059) 
making appropriations for military construction, family housing, and 
base realignment and closure for the Department of Defense for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 1999, and for other purposes, pursuant 
to House Resolution 477, he reported the bill back to the House.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the rule, the previous question is 
ordered.
  The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was 
read the third time.

                              {time}  1715

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Bereuter). The question is on the 
passage of the bill.
  Pursuant to clause 7 of rule XV, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I, further proceedings are postponed 
until later today.

                          ____________________