[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 167 (Wednesday, December 21, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S14254-S14256]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      VITIATION OF VOTE--H.R. 1815

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the cloture vote on 
the conference report on H.R. 1815 is vitiated.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I am proud to bring the Conference Report 
on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 before 
the Senate for final passage. This has been a long and difficult 
conference, but we have achieved our goal of providing the necessary 
authorities and resources for our men and women in uniform to defend 
the freedom of America.
  I thank my colleague and partner for these 27 years we have served 
together in the Senate, the senior Senator from Michigan, Carl Levin, 
for his consistently constructive help and leadership in bringing this 
important legislation to the floor.
  An undertaking of this magnitude is ultimately a bipartisan, 
bicameral effort. Consequently, there are many people deserving of 
recognition. I want to thank all of our subcommittee chairs and ranking 
members for their tireless efforts. I also want to thank Chairman 
Duncan Hunter and Congressman Ike Skelton for their leadership and 
teamwork in producing this conference agreement.
  This conference agreement could not have been reached without our 
dedicated, professional staff. I especially want to recognize the 
unwavering leadership of the Committee Staff Director, Charlie Abell 
and the Democratic Staff Director, Rick DeBobes, together with their 
staff, in bringing this process to a successful conclusion.
  As we consider this legislation, we remain a nation at war. This year 
marks the fourth year in the global war on terrorism. On September 11, 
2001, our Nation awakened to a terrorist attack. From this dark hour, 
our Nation quickly emerged stronger and more united because our Armed 
Forces, like the generations that preceded them, responded to the call 
of duty in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and 
elsewhere around the world in the cause of freedom.
  Hundreds of thousands of soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, active 
and Reserve components, and countless civilians continue to serve 
valiantly around the world--from Iraq and Afghanistan to the Persian 
Gulf, Europe, Africa, and Korea--to secure peace and freedom. All 
Americans are proud of what our military has accomplished. Their 
sacrifices and service have removed obstacles to freedom and democracy 
in the regions of the Middle East and Asia.
  We remain mindful that the defense of our homeland begins on distant 
battlefields. To the extent that we can prevent or contain the threats 
on these battlefields or potential battlefields, the less likely that 
we will experience a threat here at home. The threats to our Nation and 
the ongoing war on terrorism demand increased investment in our 
national security.
  As we begin this debate, I remain mindful that no military victory is 
gained without significant sacrifice. I ask that we pause to remember 
those who died in the defense of our freedom, and the many others who 
were wounded. We honor their sacrifices and service. On behalf of a 
grateful Nation, we salute you. They and their families deserve our 
gratitude and unwavering support.
  This year, the House and Senate conferees confronted especially 
difficult challenges affecting our Nation's security. These issues 
included U.S. policy on Iraq, detainee policy, and the Navy 
shipbuilding budget. With respect to these issues, I believe that the 
conferees reached a balanced agreement.
  Overall, the conferees authorized funding of $441.5 billion in budget 
authority for defense programs in fiscal year 2006, an increase of 
$20.9 billion--or 3.1 percent in real terms--above the amount 
authorized by the Congress for fiscal year 2005.
  The conference report underscores some key defense priorities 
critical to our national security, including authorities and resources 
to win the global war on terrorism and support for the men and women of 
the Armed Forces who are fighting so bravely in the global war on 
terrorism. Specifically, the conferees added $586.4 million over the 
President's budget request for combating terrorism. The conferees also 
authorized $50.0 billion in emergency supplemental funding for fiscal 
year 2006 for activities in support of operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, 
and the global war on terrorism.
  The conferees further agreed to enhance congressional oversight of 
ongoing military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the global war on 
terrorism, including uniform standards for interrogation operations, 
while removing the burden of litigation from vital intelligence 
activities. The conference report also includes a 3.1 percent pay raise 
for all military personnel.
  In addition, the conference report contains some provisions of which 
I am very proud that emphasizes our commitment to homeland defense, 
force protection, recruiting and retention of military personnel, 
quality of life programs, and modernization and transformation efforts.
  To enhance the ability of the Department of Defense to fulfill its 
homeland defense responsibilities, the conferees agreed to: authorize 
$115.2 million for homeland defense and counterterrorism, including 
$19.8 million for specially trained and equipped teams to support civil 
or military authorities in the event of a chemical, biological, 
radiological, nuclear or high-explosive

[[Page S14255]]

attack or event; and enhance the Department's working relationship with 
the Department of Homeland Security for purposes of leveraging dual-use 
assets in conducting homeland defense and homeland security missions.
  To rapidly deploy and acquire the full range of force protection 
capabilities for deployed forces, the conferees agreed to authorize an 
additional $610.0 million for up-armored high mobility multipurpose 
wheeled vehicles and wheeled vehicle add-on ballistic protection to 
provide force protection for soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan; 
designate an executive agent for a joint research and treatment effort 
to treat combat blast injuries resulting from IEDs, rocket propelled 
grenades, and other attacks; and facilitate the rapid deployment of new 
technology and tactics and the rapid deployment of equipment to counter 
the threat of improvised explosive devices.
  To improve recruiting goals and retention of military personnel, the 
conferees agreed to create new and better incentives to meet the 
challenge of recruiting for the All Volunteer Force; and ensure the 
retention of experienced personnel in the active-duty ranks, in the 
Reserve, and in the National Guard.
  To continue its commitment to quality health care for all 
beneficiaries, the conferees agreed to enhance access to health care 
coverage under TRICARE for every member of the Selected Reserve and 
their families, with Government subsidies based on new categories of 
eligibility.
  To continue necessary modernization and transformation efforts, the 
conferees agreed to authorize an increase of $159.5 million for Navy 
Shipbuilding to accelerate the CVN-78 aircraft carrier, the LHA (R) 
amphibious ship, and the second DD(X) destroyer of the class. Much more 
must be done, however, to achieve stability in the Navy's shipbuilding 
budget and to protect this fragile sector of our industrial base.
  I have a list of some of the highlights of this conference report 
that I ask unanimous consent to be printed in the Record following my 
remarks.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (See exhibit 1.)
  Mr. WARNER. Each year since 1961, the House and Senate have reached a 
conference agreement on, and the President has signed into law, a 
National Defense Authorization Act. I now call upon my colleagues in 
this chamber to fulfill our responsibility and pass the annual Defense 
authorization bill, as has been the tradition of the Senate for each of 
the past 45 years. This is the 27th year that I have had the privilege 
of working on this important legislation.
  I believe this conference report is a strong bipartisan bill that 
serves the interests of the men and women of our Armed Forces and of 
our Nation today. We must send a strong message of support to the men 
and women in uniform serving on the distant outposts throughout the 
world. I can think of no better way to honor their sacrifices and 
service, and that of their families than with the passage of the 
National Defense Authorization bill. This conference report provides 
the authorities and resources to win the global war on terrorism, while 
safeguarding Americans at home. It sustains the current readiness of 
the Armed Forces and provides the resources to prepare them for the 
future.
  I yield the floor.

                               Exhibit 1

  Appendix A: Key Military Personnel Provisions--Conference Agreement 
                         NDAA 2006 (H.R. 1815)

       Active End Strength:
       Increases Army end strength by 10,000 to 512,400.
       Increases USMC end strength by 1,000 to 179,000.
       Pay Raise: Provides 3.1 percent pay raise. The raise is .5 
     percent above private sector raises and reduces the pay gap 
     to 4.6 percent from 13.5 percent in fiscal year 1999 
     culminating seven years of enhanced pay raises.
       Hardship Duty Pay: Increases maximum monthly rate from $300 
     to $750.
       Assignment Incentive Pay: Increases the maximum monthly 
     rate from $1,500 to $3,000.
       Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI): Requires the 
     Secretary of Defense to pay the premium for a minimum 
     coverage of $150,000 while members who participate in the SGU 
     program are assigned to the other OIF/OEF theater. Also 
     authorizes the Secretary to pay for a larger amount of 
     coverage.
       Active Duty Recruiting and Retention Initiatives:
       Enlistment bonus--Increases maximum from $20,000 to 
     $40,000.
       Reenlistment bonus--Increases maximum active duty from 
     $60,000 to $90,000.
       New recruiting incentive programs--Authorizes Army to 
     develop and implement programs following 45 days notice to 
     Congress.
       Recruit referral bonus--Authorizes Army (active duty, 
     reserve, and National Guard) to pay $1,000 to service members 
     who refer recruit candidates for enlistment and those 
     candidates complete technical training.
       Enlistment age--Increases the maximum from 35 years of age 
     to 42.
       Service transfer bonus--Authorizes a new maximum bonus of 
     $2,500 for service members who transfer to armed services 
     requiring skills and experience.
       Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)--Authorizes service secretaries 
     to enter agreement with new recruits to pay matching 
     contributions to the TSP and directs the Army to conduct a 
     pilot program on the attractiveness of matching TSP 
     contributions to new recruits.
       Weight allowances for shipping household goods--Increases 
     allowances for noncommissioned officers in grades E-7 and 
     above.
       Reserve Compensation and Benefits:
       Income Replacement--Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to 
     pay involuntarily mobilized reserve members on a monthly 
     basis the amount necessary to replace the income differential 
     between their military compensation and the average monthly 
     income received by the member during the twelve months 
     preceding mobilization. Reserve members would be eligible for 
     the income replacement payment for any full month following 
     the date that the member completes 18 continuous months of 
     service on active duty or 24 months on active duty during 
     the previous 60 months, or for any month during a 
     mobilization that occurs within 6 months of the member's 
     last active duty tour. Payments would be limited to a 
     maximum of $3,000 each month.
       Basic allowance for housing (BAH)--Eliminates an inequity 
     in BAH payments for reservists mobilized for less than 140 
     days by authorizing reservists to receive the same BAH as 
     active duty members when mobilized for periods greater than 
     30 days.
       Critical skill retention bonus--Authorizes reservists to be 
     paid under the active duty program up to a maximum of 
     $100,000 over the course of a career.
       Enlistment and affiliation bonus--Increases the maximum 
     amount from $15,000 to $20,000.
       Reenlistment bonus--Extends the period during which bonuses 
     may be paid from 16 years of service to 20 years of service 
     with enlistments continuing till 24 years of service.
       Survivor Benefits:
       Death Gratuity--Extends an increase to $100,000 to all 
     military deaths--(not just combat-related deaths as 
     contemplated in the Tsunami Emergency Supplemental, 2005). 
     Makes payment of the $100,000 amount retroactive to include 
     all military deaths that occurred on or after October 7, 
     2001. Makes additional retroactive death gratuity payments of 
     $150,000 to survivors of all military deaths, not just 
     combat-related deaths, to compensate for the increase in 
     Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance coverage from $250,000 
     to $400,000 that became effective for all military members on 
     May 11, 2005.
       Survivors in Family Housing--Extends the period that 
     survivors of members who die on active duty may remain in 
     family housing or received basic allowance for housing from 
     180 days to 365 days.
       Survivors home of selection move--Extends the period of 
     time allowed for surviving family members of members who die 
     on active duty to select a permanent residence from one year 
     to three years.
       Wounded Member Benefits:
       Special pay during medical rehabilitation--Authorizes the 
     secretary concerned to pay $430 per month to a service member 
     with an injury or illness sustained in a combat operation or 
     zone designated by the Secretary of Defense. The pay would 
     terminate at the end of the first month which the member is 
     paid a benefit under the traumatic injury rider of the 
     Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) or is no longer 
     hospitalized in a military treatment facility or in a 
     facility under the auspices of the military health care 
     system.
       Payment for meals while receiving medical care--Extends the 
     authority for members to not pay for meals received at 
     military treatment facilities while undergoing medical care, 
     including outpatient care, for an injury, illness, or disease 
     incurred while serving in support of OIF/OEF, or other combat 
     operation designated by the Secretary of Defense.
       Family travel to visit wounded/injured members--Expands the 
     authority for payment of travel and transportation allowances 
     for family members to visit service members hospitalized in 
     the United States to include members who are not considered 
     seriously ill or injured, but who have incurred injuries in a 
     combat operation or combat zone designated by the Secretary 
     of Defense.
       Retirees:
       Concurrent receipt--Reduces from 10 years to just over 4 
     years the phased implementation of full concurrent receipt of 
     veterans disability compensation and military retired pay for 
     military retirees receiving veterans disability compensation 
     at the rate payable for 100 percent disability by reason of a 
     determination of individual unemployability.

[[Page S14256]]

     Would authorize such retirees to receive full concurrent 
     receipt of veterans disability compensation and military 
     retired pay on October 1, 2009.
       Reserve Health Care:
       Provides eligibility for TRICARE to all reservists and 
     their families who continue service in the Selected Reserve. 
     Estimated cost: 5-yr: $880M; 10-yr: $2.3B (Compared to 
     Taylor-Graham proposal: 5-yr: $3.8B; 10-yr: $12B). Three 
     eligibility categories:
       Involuntarily mobilized reservists (as in current law): 1 
     year TRICARE eligibility for every 90 days of mobilized 
     service. DOD cost share: 72 percent.
       Persons without employer provided health care, unemployed, 
     self-employed. DOD cost share: 50 percent.
       Any person not meeting the above criteria. DOD cost share: 
     15 percent.
       Uniform Code of Military Justice:
       Strengthens the Uniform Code of Military Justice by 
     revising the offenses relating to rape, sexual assault, and 
     other sexual misconduct and setting interim maximum 
     punishments for the respective offenses.
       Also establishes and defines stalking as a separate offense 
     under UCMJ.
  Mr. WARNER. I thank our respective leaders, the majority leader and 
the distinguished Senator from Nevada, and my good friend and partner, 
our dear Senator Levin, and all members of the Armed Services 
Committee, and particularly our staff that made this bill possible. It 
has had a long journey. But we are here.

                          ____________________