[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 120 (Thursday, September 22, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10384-S10386]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           TEXT OF AMENDMENTS

  SA 1850. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 2528, an act making appropriations for Military 
Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies for the fiscal 
year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec.  . Any limitation, directive, or earmarking contained 
     in either the House of Representatives or Senate report 
     accompanying H.R. 2528 shall also be included in the 
     conference report or joint statement accompanying H.R. 2528 
     in order to be considered as having been approved by both 
     Houses of Congress.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 1851. Mr. DeWINE (for himself and Mr. Voinovich) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 2528, an act 
making appropriations for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, 
and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and 
for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 72, between lines 13 and 14, insert the following:
       Sec. 130. The amount appropriated by this title under the 
     heading ``Military Construction, Air Force'' is hereby 
     increased by $12,950,000, with the amount of such increase to 
     be available for the construction of an academic building at 
     the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson Air 
     Force Base, Ohio.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 1852. Mr. AKAKA (for himself and Mr. Schumer) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 2528, an act 
making appropriations for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, 
and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and 
for other purposes; as follows:

       On page 76, line 22, strike ``$23,308,011,000'' and insert 
     ``$23,318,011,000''.
       On page 77, line 1, insert ``$109,000,000 shall be 
     available for the Readjustment Counseling Service: Provided 
     further, That'' after ``this heading,''.
       On page 78, line 22, strike ``$1,456,821,000'' and insert 
     ``$1,446,821,000''.
       On page 79, line 7, strike ``$100,000,000'' and insert 
     ``$90,000,000''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 1853. Mr. AKAKA submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 2528, an act making appropriations for Military 
Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies for the fiscal 
year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 76, lines 22 and 23, strike ``$23,308,011,000, plus 
     reimbursements, of which $1,977,000,000'' and insert 
     ``$23,318,011,000, plus reimbursements, of which 
     $1,987,000,000''.
       On page 77, line 1, insert ``$109,000,000 shall be 
     available for the Readjustment Counseling Service: Provided 
     further, That'' after ``this heading,''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 1854. Ms. LANDRIEU submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by her to the bill H.R. 2528, an act making appropriations for Military 
Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies for the fiscal 
year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 72, between lines 13 and 14, insert the following:
       Sec. 130. The amount appropriated by this title under the 
     heading ``Military Construction, Army'' is hereby increased 
     by $4,299,000, with the amount of such increase to be made 
     available for demolition of World War II era wooden buildings 
     at Fort Polk, Louisiana.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 1855. Ms. LANDRIEU submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by her to the bill H.R. 2528, an act making appropriations for Military 
Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies for the fiscal 
year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 72, between lines 13 and 14, insert the following:
       Sec. 130. The amount appropriated by this title under the 
     heading ``Military Construction, Army'' is hereby increased 
     by $15,000,000, with the amount of such increase to be made 
     available to replace World War II era mobilization and 
     demobilization buildings at the north fort of Fort Polk, 
     Louisiana, with portable temporary modular building 
     structures.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 1856. Mr. MARTINEZ (for himself and Mr. Nelson of Florida) 
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 
2528, an act making appropriations for Military Construction and 
Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       On page 72, between lines 13 and 14, insert the following:
       Sec. 130. Of the amount appropriated by this title under 
     the heading ``Military Construction, Navy and Marine Corps'' 
     and available for architectural and engineering services and 
     construction design, $500,000 shall be made available for the 
     design of wharf upgrades at Naval Station Mayport, Florida.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 1857. Mr. JEFFORDS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill H.R. 2528, an act making appropriations for Military 
Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies for the fiscal 
year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 93, between lines 20 and 21, insert the following:

     SEC. 222. CLINICAL TRAINING AND PROTOCOLS.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) the Iraq War Clinician Guide has tremendous value; and
       (2) the Secretary of Defense and the National Center on 
     Post Traumatic Stress Disorder should continue to work 
     together to ensure that the mental health care needs of 
     servicemembers and veterans are met.
       (b) Collaboration.--The National Center on Post Traumatic 
     Stress Disorder shall collaborate with the Secretary of 
     Defense--
       (1) to enhance the clinical skills of military clinicians 
     through training, treatment protocols, web-based 
     interventions, and the development of evidence-based 
     interventions; and
       (2) to promote pre-deployment resilience and post-
     deployment readjustment among servicemembers serving in 
     Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
       (c) Training.--The National Center on Post Traumatic Stress 
     Disorder shall work with the Secretary of Defense to ensure 
     that clinicians in the Department of Defense are provided 
     with the training and protocols developed pursuant to 
     subsection (b)(1).
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 1858. Mrs. HUTCHISON (for Mr. Coburn) proposed an amendment to the 
bill H.R. 2528, an act making appropriations for Military Construction 
and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. __. Any limitation, directive, or earmarking contained 
     in either the House of Representatives or Senate report 
     accompanying H.R. 2528 shall also be included in the 
     conference report or joint statement accompanying H.R. 2528 
     in order to be considered as having been approved by both 
     Houses of Congress.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 1859. Mrs. HUTCHISON (for Mr. Carper) proposed an amendment to the 
bill H.R. 2528, an act making appropriations for Military Construction 
and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; as follows:

       On page 72, between lines 13 and 14, insert the following:

[[Page S10385]]

       Sec. 130. Of the amount appropriated by this title under 
     the heading ``Military Construction, Air National Guard'' and 
     available for planning and design, $1,440,000 shall be 
     available for planning and design for a replacement C-130 
     maintenance hangar at Air National Guard New Castle County 
     Airport, Delaware.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 1860. Mrs. HUTCHISON (for Mrs. Boxer) proposed an amendment to the 
bill H.R. 2528, an act making appropriations for Military Construction 
and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; as follows:

       On page 93, between lines 20 and 21, insert the following:

     SEC. 222. REPORT ON HOUSING ASSISTANCE TO LOW-INCOME 
                   VETERANS.

       (a) In General.--The Comptroller General shall conduct a 
     study on housing assistance to low-income veterans, 
     including--
       (1) an estimate of the number of low-income, very low-
     income, and extremely low-income veteran households;
       (2) a description of the demographic and socioeconomic 
     characteristics and health and disability status of such 
     households;
       (3) an estimate of the number of such households 
     experiencing a high cost burden in, overcrowding in, or poor 
     quality of housing, or experiencing homelessness;
       (4) an assessment of such households, including their 
     current barriers to safe, quality, and affordable housing and 
     levels of homelessness among such households;
       (5) the extent to which Federal housing assistance programs 
     provide benefits, including supportive services, to all 
     veteran households and in particular to low-income, very low-
     income, and extremely-low income veteran households;
       (6) the number of units designated for or occupied by 
     veterans and low-income, very low-income, and extremely low-
     income veterans in Federally subsidized or insured housing;
       (7) a summary description of the manner in which veteran 
     compensation, veteran dependency and indemnity compensation, 
     and veteran pension are considered as income or adjusted 
     income for purposes of determining--
       (A) eligibility for Federal housing assistance programs; 
     and
       (B) the amount of rent paid by a veteran household for 
     occupancy of a dwelling unit or housing assisted under 
     Federal housing assistance programs;
       (8) a summary description of the special considerations 
     made for veterans under--
       (A) public housing plans submitted under section 5A of the 
     United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437c-1); and
       (B) comprehensive housing affordability strategies 
     submitted under section 105 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National 
     Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12705);
       (9) the extent to which public housing authorities have 
     established preferences for veterans for public housing and 
     housing choice vouchers;
       (10) the number of homeless veterans provided assistance, 
     cumulatively and currently, under the program of housing 
     choice vouchers for homeless veterans under section 8(o)(19) 
     of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42. U.S.C. 
     1437f(o)(19)), and the current status of the program, 
     including--
       (A) the number of vouchers the Department of Housing and 
     Urban Development currently allocates to the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs;
       (B) the monetary value of such vouchers; and
       (C) the names and locations of VA medical centers receiving 
     such vouchers; and
       (11) a description of activities relating to veterans of 
     the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
       (b) Acquisition of Supporting Information.--In carrying out 
     the study under this section, the Comptroller General shall 
     seek to obtain views from the following persons:
       (1) The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
       (2) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
       (3) Low-income, very low-income, and extremely low-income 
     veterans.
       (4) Representatives of State and local housing assistance 
     agencies.
       (5) Representatives of nonprofit low-income housing 
     providers and homeless service providers, including homeless 
     veteran service providers.
       (6) National advocacy organizations concerned with 
     veterans, homelessness, and low-income housing.
       (c) Timing of Report.--Not later than 6 months after the 
     date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall 
     submit to Congress a report on the study conducted under this 
     section.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 1861. Mrs. HUTCHISON (for Mr. Chambliss (for himself and Mr. 
Isakson)) proposed an amendment to the bill H.R. 2528, an act making 
appropriations for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and 
Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for 
other purposes; as follows:

       On page 72, between lines 13 and 14, insert the following:
       Sec. 130. (a) Of the amount appropriated by this title 
     under the heading ``Military Construction, Army'', $4,550,000 
     shall be made available for the construction of a military 
     police complex at Fort Gordon, Georgia.
       (b) The amount appropriated by this title under the heading 
     ``Military Construction, Army'' and available for Fort 
     Gillem, Georgia, is hereby decreased by $4,550,000.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 1862. Mrs. HUTCHISON (for Mrs. Feinstein) proposed an amendment to 
the bill H.R. 2528, an act making appropriations for Military 
Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies for the fiscal 
year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; as follows:

       On page 72, between lines 13 and 14, insert the following:
       Sec. 130. (a) The amount appropriated by this title under 
     the heading ``Department of Defense Base Closure Account 
     1990'' is hereby increased by $25,000,000.
       (b) The amount appropriated by this title under the heading 
     ``Department of Defense Base Closure Account 2005'' is hereby 
     decreased by $25,000,000.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 1863. Mrs. HUTCHISON (for Mr. Feingold (for himself and Mr. 
Salazar)) proposed an amendment to the bill H.R. 2528, an act making 
appropriations for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and 
Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for 
other purposes; as follows:

       On page 93, between lines 20 and 21, insert the following:
       Sec. 222.(a) Not later than 60 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
     after consultation with the National Association of County 
     Veterans Service Officers, other veterans service 
     organizations, and State Departments of Veterans Affairs 
     shall submit a report to the committee on Appropriation of 
     the Senate that describes a plan (including estimated costs) 
     to provide an adequate supply of the 2006 edition of handbook 
     entitled, Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents, and 
     all subsequent editions, to all county veterans service 
     officers in the United States.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 1864. Mrs. HUTCHISON (for Mr. Durbin (for himself, Mrs. Murray, 
Mr. Obama, and Mr. Akaka)) proposed an amendment to the bill H.R. 2528, 
an act making appropriations for Military Construction and Veterans 
Affairs, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
2006, and for other purposes; as follows:

       On page 93, between lines 20 and 21, insert the following:
       Sec. 222. None of the funds made available in this Act or 
     any other Act may be used--
       (1) to revoke or reduce a veteran's disability compensation 
     for post-traumatic stress disorder based on a finding that 
     the Department of Veterans Affairs failed to collect 
     justifying documentation unless such failure was the direct 
     result of fraud by the applicant; or
       (2) for the implementation of Recommendation 3 of VA 
     Inspector General Report No. 05-00765-137 or any related 
     review and investigation of post-traumatic stress disorder 
     unemployability and 100 schedular percent ratings cases, 
     until the Department of Veteran's Affairs reports to the 
     Committee on Appropriations on its plan for implementing this 
     recommendation, and outlines the staffing and funding 
     requirements.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 1865. Mrs. HUTCHISON (for Mr. Durbin (for himself and Mr. Obama)) 
proposed an amendment to the bill H.R. 2528, an act making 
appropriations for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and 
Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for 
other purposes; as follows:

       On page 81, line 2, insert ``The VA shall conduct an 
     information campaign in States with an average annual 
     disability compensation payment of less than $7,300 
     (according to the report issued by the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs Office of Inspector General on May 19, 2005), to 
     inform all veterans receiving disability compensation, by 
     direct mail, of the history of below average disability 
     compensation payments to veterans in such States, and to 
     provide all veterans in each such State, through broadcast or 
     print advertising, with the aforementioned historical 
     information and instructions for submitting new claims and 
     requesting review of past disability claims and ratings: 
     Provided further,'' after ``Provided,''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 1866. Mrs. HUTCHISON (for Mr. Jeffords) proposed an amendment to 
the bill H.R. 2528, an act making appropriations for Military 
Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies for the fiscal 
year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; as follows:

       On page 93, between lines 20 and 21, insert the following:

     SEC. 222. CLINICAL TRAINING AND PROTOCOLS.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) the Iraq War Clinician Guide has tremendous value; and
       (2) the Secretary of Defense and the National Center on 
     Post Traumatic Stress Disorder should continue to work 
     together to

[[Page S10386]]

     ensure that the mental health care needs of servicemembers 
     and veterans are met.
       (b) Collaboration.--The National Center on Post Traumatic 
     Stress Disorder shall collaborate with the Secretary of 
     Defense--
       (1) to enhance the clinical skills of military clinicians 
     through training, treatment protocols, web-based 
     interventions, and the development of evidence-based 
     interventions; and
       (2) to promote pre-deployment resilience and post-
     deployment readjustment among servicemembers serving in 
     Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
       (c) Training.--The National Center on Post Traumatic Stress 
     Disorder shall work with the Secretary of Defense to ensure 
     that clinicians in the Department of Defense are provided 
     with the training and protocols developed pursuant to 
     subsection (b)(1).
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 1867. Mrs. HUTCHISON (for Mr. Salazar) proposed an amendment to 
the bill H.R. 2528, an act making appropriations for Military 
Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies for the fiscal 
year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; as follows:

       On page 93, between lines 20 and 21, insert the following:
       Sec. 222. (a) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
     immediately submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs and 
     Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives 
     a report on any Department of Veterans Affairs budget 
     shortfall totaling 2 percent or more of the Department's 
     total discretionary funding budget for a fiscal year.
       (b) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, not later than 
     180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, submit 
     to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs and Appropriations of 
     the Senate and the House of Representatives a comprehensive 
     plan to improve long-term budget planning and actuarial 
     forecasting at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 1868. Mr. CRAIG (for Mr. Salazar) (for himself and Mr. Bingaman)) 
proposed an amendment to the bill H.R. 2528, an act making 
appropriations for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and 
Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for 
other purposes; as follows:

       On page 93, between lines 20 and 21, insert the following:
       Sec. 222. (a) In conducting advanced planning activities 
     under this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
     reevaluate Veterans Health Administration Handbook 1006.1 and 
     other guidance and procedures related to planning, 
     activating, staffing, and maintaining community-based 
     outpatient clinics.
       (b) In conducting such planning, the Secretary shall--
       (1) revise as appropriate existing policies to make them 
     less disadvantageous to rural veterans; and
       (2) reexamine criteria used in planning, activating, 
     staffing, and maintaining such clinics, including geographic 
     access, number of Priority 1-6 veterans, market penetration, 
     cost effectiveness, and distance to parent facilities, to 
     determine whether such criteria are weighted in a manner that 
     negatively affects rural veterans.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 1869. Mr. THOMAS (for himself and Mr. Enzi) submitted an amendment 
intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 2528, an act making 
appropriations for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and 
Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 72, between lines 13 and 14, insert the following:
       Sec. 130. (a) The amount appropriated by this title under 
     the heading ``Military Construction, Air Force'' is hereby 
     increased by $10,000,000, with the amount of such increase to 
     be made available to carry out a storm water drainage system 
     project at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Cheyenne, Wyoming.
       (b) The amount appropriated by this title under the heading 
     ``Military Construction, Army'' is hereby decreased by 
     $10,000,000, and not more than $30,000,000 of the total 
     amount appropriated under such heading may be made available 
     for the barracks complex in Grafenwoehr, Germany.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 1870. Mr. FRIST (for Mrs. Hutchison) proposed an amendment to the 
bill H.R. 2528, an act making appropriations for Military Construction 
and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; as follows:

       On page 55, line 4, strike ``$191,393,000'' and insert 
     ``$179,343,000''.
       On page 55, line 10, following ``therefor'', strike ``.'' 
     and insert ``: Provided further, That of the amount provided 
     for Military Construction, Army, $8,900,000 shall be 
     available for Phase 1a of a Permanent Party Barracks at Fort 
     Leonard Wood, Missouri, and $3,150,000 shall be available for 
     an Airfield Fire Station at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.''
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 1871. Mr. FRIST (for Mrs. Hutchison) proposed an amendment to the 
bill H.R. 2528, an act making appropriations for Military Construction 
and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; as follows:

       On page 56, line 11, strike ``$103,347,000'' and insert 
     ``83,626,000''.
       On page 56, line 17, following ``therefor'', strike ``.'' 
     and insert ``: Provided further, That of the amount provided 
     for Military Construction, Air Force, $5,721,000 shall be 
     available for a B-2 Conventional Munitions Storage Facility 
     at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, and $14,000,000 for 
     Phase 1 of Force Protection Enhancement at Vance Air Force 
     Base, Oklahoma.''

                          ____________________