[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 11] [House] [Pages 15701-15711] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2000 The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 242 and rule XVIII, 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. 2465. {time} 1435 In the Committee of the Whole Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union for the consideration of the bill (H.R. 2465) making appropriations for military construction, family housing, and base realignment and closure for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000, and for other purposes, with Mr. Gillmor 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 Ohio (Mr. Hobson) and the gentleman in Massachusetts (Mr. Olver) each will control 30 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hobson). Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, it is my pleasure to present the House recommendation for the Military Construction Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 2000. Let me begin by thanking the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Olver), my ranking member, and all the members of our subcommittee for their assistance and interest in putting together this year's bill. The bill presented to the House today totals $8.5 billion, the same as last year's enacted level, and it is $141 million below this year's House passed authorization bill. [[Page 15702]] The bill is within the 302(b) allocation for both budget authority and outlays, and it is in contrast to the administration's split funding budget request, which proposed spreading $8.6 billion over two fiscal years. Considering the budget constraints we worked under, the recommendations before the House are solid and fully fund priority projects for the services and our troops. Within the $8.5 billion provided, we have been able to address the true needs of our troops by supporting projects that improve their quality of life as they serve to protect our country. These priorities include $800 million for troop housing, $21 million for child development centers, $165 million for hospital and medical facilities, $69 million for environmental compliance, $747 million for new family housing units and for improvements to existing units, and $2.8 billion for operation and maintenance of existing family housing units. We believe that these priorities reflect the need to provide our military with quality housing, health care, and work facilities. Also, by targeting adequate resources for new child development centers, we are recognizing the changing makeup of our military force, with the rising number of single military parents and military personnel with working spouses. If we want to keep top-notch people in our military, then we have a reasonable obligation to meet the needs of our troops. Again, I want to thank the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Olver) and all the members of our subcommittee for their hard work and effort on this bill. In closing, I want to point out that we have put together an $8.5 billion MILCON bill that is 3 percent of the total defense budget and equal to last year's enacted level. Most importantly, this $8.5 billion directly supports the men and women in our armed services. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Chairman, I include the following material for the Record: [[Page 15703]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH13JY99.000 [[Page 15704]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH13JY99.001 [[Page 15705]] Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. OLVER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hobson) has put a great deal of effort and leadership into this bill, and I thank him. I have also come to appreciate the tremendous job of the staff on both sides for the majority and the minority, the tremendous job and the hours that they put in as a staff, and I want to thank them, as well, but particularly our clerk on the majority side, Liz Dawson, and her assistants, and on the minority side Tom Forhan for the minority side of the Subcommittee on Military Construction. It has not been easy balancing the dollars available against the priority needs for the men and women who serve our Nation, and they have served this subcommittee and this Congress as a total well in their effort. This is a good bill and deserves our support. The military construction bill serves as the guardian of the quality of life of men and women who serve America in the military and their families whose lives are caught up in their breadwinners' service to the country. This bill provides $8.5 billion to address some of the most pressing needs for better workplaces and housing for these men and women in uniform. I wish that we could do more. We have a huge backlog with respect to operational and training facilities, the barracks for the single military personnel, the family housing, the daycare centers, the health facilities. But we find ourselves at the same spending level as last year; in other words, a frozen budget at exactly the same level as the previous year. Still, the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Hobson) has done an excellent and fair-minded job. In the area of housing, for instance, we all agree that our military families deserve decent housing. The President's budget request put a lot of reliance on the recent family housing privatization program, but that pilot program has had significant problems. Some people see privatization as a quick fix to address the unmet need for quality housing. But there have been false starts, and it is not at all clear that all the specific privatization proposals make long-term fiscal and budgetary sense for us. In the short term, these problems with the privatization program have held up money appropriated for housing; and the delays have really hurt the families that the program is supposed to help. The chairman very deliberately tackled these problems head-on, and I am happy that several projects are now going forward while we take a harder look at the whole program. At the same time, the bill before us here today also includes traditional MILCON housing and I believe keeps the housing program appropriately balanced, as it needs to be. Let me conclude by simply saying that this is a solid bipartisan bill that deserves full support of the members of the committee as a whole and the Congress as a whole. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon) a member of the Committee on Armed Services. Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill that has been brought by the chairman and ranking member. I want to commend them for the great work that they have done on this bill. Mr. Chairman, I want to begin by applauding the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Military Construction Subcommittee for what they have done to ensure our military personnel live and work in safe and quality facilities. H.R. 2465 provides $4.2 billion for military construction projects and $3.6 million for family housing. This is $3 billion more than the President had requested. I want to commend the Chairman for his tremendous efforts. I also want to highlight an issue of great importance to Lancaster--a major city in my district--and the military personnel in the state of California. In the last five years the California National Guard has lost the leases on five armories in the Los Angeles basin. This has led to severe overcrowding at the remaining armories. After examining 38 sites, the California National Guard chose the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds in the city of Lancaster as the site for a new armory. Congress directed the Secretary of the Army to submit a plan and schedule for the consolidation and replacement of existing armories by January 15, 1999. In order to meet this schedule, the design and construction of the armory must take place in FY 2000. The City of Lancaster recently learned that it secured $1 million in state funds for this project, and now it needs the federal matching funds of $500,000 in FY 2000 and $2.5 million in FY 2001 to ensure that the project is kept within the time frame of the consolidation plan. I would be extremely grateful if the Subcommittee would work with me to ensure this project can be completed on time. Once again, I want to commend the gentleman from Ohio for his efforts in drafting this important piece of legislation, and I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill. Mr. OLVER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Edwards), who is a member of the Subcommittee on Military Construction. Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member for yielding me the time. Mr. Chairman, I primarily want to rise to congratulate the leadership of this committee and the professional staff for putting together a quality product. If I have any disappointment in this bill, it is simply that the American people will see nothing of this debate and will not hear about this process on the evening news. Because it seems that, with the national press, if it is not conflict, it is simply not news. Well, my message to the American people is, if they watch this military construction appropriations process, this is the way government should work. The gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Hobson) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Olver), the ranking minority member, have put the interest of our military families, the interest of a strong national defense, the interest of our Nation above the interest of any partisanship. Because of that, there will not be great debate on this floor and, consequently, many Americans will not know about the quality product. But, most importantly, the people who will find out about it, the men and women who are willing to put their lives on the line defending our country in uniform, in combat, they will be the winners from this legislation. I think it is especially interesting to note, if we look at the supplemental appropriations legislation that passed this House several months ago, along with this legislation, the end product is that the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hobson) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Olver) working together have helped renew a real commitment for quality-of-life programs for our military families both here and abroad. {time} 1445 I want to once again commend them for taking an interest in an issue that does not have any political payoff back home or in their districts, the interest of providing better quality housing for our men and women serving in uniform overseas. I think the important message to come out of this bill, Mr. Chairman, is that wars are not won by technology alone. That is an important message that we must remind ourselves and the American people. To win them, wars require quality, well-motivated people. When we consider the number of people in our military that are married today, these quality of life issues, while they may not have defense subcontractor lobbyists from 40 States lobbying in their behalf, are at the heart and soul of our building and strengthening our national defense structure in America. The credit for that goes to the chairman and the ranking member and the professional staff for the great work they have done. I commend them for their work. I just wish the American people could turn on the television tonight and see Congress working on a bipartisan basis putting the interest of our country ahead of partisanship. Congratulations. Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Kansas [[Page 15706]] (Mr. Tiahrt), a member of the subcommittee. Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Chairman, I could stand here and talk to my colleagues about the numbers that are included in this bill. But instead I want to tell them about that mother of three who will be able to come home to an apartment where the appliances work. She was in an apartment that was too expensive, it was drafty, it was not safe for her kids to play, but now she can come home to an apartment where they are safe. I want to tell them about that Marine corporal, Corporal Mollet, who is stationed in Iceland. Even though in the winter months the daylight only shows for 45 or 50 minutes, he can come home to a warm apartment where he can now exercise and keep in top shape. This bill is making life better for the young men and women that serve our country. That is why I would urge all of my colleagues to support it. It is fiscally responsible and it does the right thing. Mr. PORTER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this well crafted, balanced, and bipartisan bill. This legislation, Mr. Chairman, is fiscally conservative yet comprehensive. My good friend, the Gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Hobson, The Chairman of the Military Construction subcommittee, has authored a bill that adheres to the budget caps while adequately addressing the needs of our armed services. Chairman Hobson faced a daunting challenge in crafting this legislation. The Administration's budget request represented the lowest nominal request for military construction since 1981. The Administration instead made the unprecedented request to defer funding to future fiscal years through incremental, or forward funding of projects. Furthermore, the Administration requested no new family housing projects through traditional military construction, but rather asked for a vast expansion of the housing privatization pilot program without first examining the effect that this would have upon local school districts that rely upon Impact Aid funding. I am pleased, Mr. Chairman, that this legislation fully funds all military construction projects and reallocates funds from the privatization pilot program to traditional military construction accounts. This would not have been possible without Chairman Hobson's leadership. He has helped to create a strong, bipartisan bill in the face of numerous obstacles. I ask all Members to support this legislation. Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this bill and would like to commend the work of both the chairman, Mr. Hobson and the ranking member, Mr. Olver. I believe the priorities which they have established in this bill are good for both our nation and for our nation's defense. The funding constraints imposed by the balanced budget agreement make our choices more difficult. However, we still must ensure that other priorities do not drive us away from one of the primary responsibilities the Congress has, and that is ensuring for the nation's defense. The construction of quality family housing and barracks, as well as hospitals and child development centers all relate directly to the quality of life issues so important to retaining our men and women who serve our nation and who deserve the best that we can provide them. We have witnessed our military forces time and again respond to our nation's call and demonstrate the courage, commitment and dedication that make our nation's defense the envy of the world. I want to thank the subcommittee for providing these men and women a quality of life that makes the burden of leaving their families behind a bit easier to bear. I also rise the support this bill which appropriates $8.5 billion for critical military construction needs in fiscal year 2000 and want to applaud the chairman and ranking member for what is in the bill before us: --$4.2 billion for military construction, including: $789 million for barracks construction, $24 million for child development centers, $165 million for hospital and medical facilities, and $497 million for Guard and Reserve components. --$3.6 billion for family housing, including: $747 million for new construction and renovation of family housing units and $2.8 billion for operation and maintenance of existing units. --$700 million for expenses related to base realignment and closure. I also want to point out some of the projects included in this bill that will have such a positive impact on the defense installations in my district such as; For the Patuxent River Naval Air Station: $3.06 million for a ship & air test and evaluation facility, $1.5 million for a indoor firing range, and $4.15 million for an aircrew water survival training facility. For Fort Meade: $10.07 million for a sewage treatment plant. In closing, I want to thank the subcommittee for funding these military construction priorities and for so effectively addressing the needs of our men and women in uniform and their families. Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, today I rise in support of H.R. 2465, the Military Construction Appropriations Act for FY 2000. This important bipartisan legislation provides $8.5 billion for military housing and addresses a variety of quality of life issues for U.S. troops. It is time that we made basic improvements in base facilities to support our troops. H.R. 2465 will address such quality of life issues in a number of ways. For example, the bill provides almost $965 million for barracks, hospitals and medical facilities, and $747 million for new housing units for troops and their families. I am particularly pleased that H.R. 2465 includes $16.8 million to continue a much-needed family housing project at Vandenberg Air Force Base in my district. Vandenberg is in the process of building 108 two, three, and four bedroom housing units on the base. The goal is to provide safe, modern, and efficient housing for service men and women and their family members. This particular housing project provides the services with a unique model of how development can be structured to strengthen and enhance a sense of community among a highly transitory population. I am also proud to say that this bill funds priority projects and services for American forces for the next fiscal year, and still manages to be fiscally responsible. Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Chairman, this Member rises to address funding for a new Army Reserve Center in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Army Reserve in Lincoln, Nebraska, currently leases a building assigned to the Agriculture Campus of the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. The University's plans for expanding its classroom space are being hindered by the Army Reserve's occupancy. Of late, the desire of the University to reclaim the facility has become more pressing. The Nebraska Army Reserve needs to construct a new building to serve as its center. The Nebraska Army Reserve has identified an alternative to the current situation, but it lacks the funding needed to get it out of the starting blocks. Therefore, $1.3 million is needed to proceed with land acquisition and to develop preliminary design specifications. This Member supports the Nebraska Army Reserve's request for ``seed money'' in the amount of $1.3 million to fund the planning and acquisition of land for this relocated Center. Our colleges and universities have enough challenges. Forcing them to delay, or work around, improvements to and expansion of their programs should not be unnecessarily adding to those challenges. We ask our military personnel to make enough sacrifices. Depriving them of modern, badly needed facilities should not be one of them. While the bill before the House today does not include this funding request, this Member would note that the Senate version of the military construction appropriation, S. 1205, which was passed on June 16, 1999, by a vote of 97 to 2, already includes funding for this requirement. To bring the House measure into agreement with Senate version, and for the reasons above, this Member urges the House conferees--who will be appointed to the conference on the Military Construction Appropriations bill--to agree to the Senate's funding level of $1.3 million for the construction of a new Army Reserve Center in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the conference report for H.R. 2465. Mr. WICKER. Mr. Chairman, as a member of the Military Construction Subcommittee, I rise in support of this bill. Over the past months, the subcommittee has heard from many members of our Nation's armed forces and has traveled to bases at home and abroad to see first-hand the needs of our men and women in uniform. Their primary concern has been the continued deterioration of the infrastructure which supports our defense mission here and around the world. The President's budget request for Fiscal Year 2000 did little to alleviate these concerns. In response to his inadequate request, the Subcommittee added $3 billion more than the President, an increase of 56%. Our efforts are aimed at providing our armed forces with the best facilities, training, and equipment possible. Military construction accounts for $4.9 billion or 49 percent of this bill. These funds will be used for barracks, [[Page 15707]] child development centers, medical facilities, and other projects to strengthen and support critical missions. National Guard and Reserve components will receive nearly $500 million. We have worked hard to address quality of life issues as well. This bill sends a clear message that we will take care of our country's military and their families. Family housing projects account for $3.6 billion or 43 percent of the bill. Within the family housing section, $2.8 billion will go for operation and maintenance of existing units, and $747 million will be used for the construction of new housing. Mr. Chairman, this bill is fiscally responsible. At the same time, it helps rebuild our military infrastructure and addresses quality of life issues which are so important to maintaining a strong and motivated military. I urge my colleagues to support the hard work of the Committee and vote for this Military Construction bill. Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Chairman, I would like to express my strong support for H.R. 2465, the Military Construction Appropriations Act for FY2000. This legislation addresses ``quality of life'' issues for our service personnel. H.R. 2465 will significantly improve the living and working conditions of our military personnel. As former Chairman of the Military Construction Appropriations Subcommittee, I have personally seen the poor and unsafe living and working conditions we subject our soldiers to both here in the U.S. and abroad. This legislation will go a long way in addressing many of these needs. We must do as much as we can if we hope to retain these quality personnel. Our military is the most powerful fighting force in the world, yet our soldiers go home every evening to homes that are simply not acceptable or safe. I commend the members of the Military Construction Subcommittee and Chairman Hobson for their dedication to the men and women of our Armed Services. Mr. Chairman, H.R. 2465 goes much deeper than just appropriating funds, this legislation will keep the people who protect and serve our country safe. We shouldn't keep asking our servicemen and women to put their lives on the line if we can't provide them with the basics they need to raise a family and live decently. Mr. DOOLEY of California. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 2465 and am particularly pleased with the work that was done in regard to the Lemoore Naval Air Station, which is located in my district in Lemoore, California. I would like to thank both Chairman Hobson and Representative Olver for all their hard work in ensuring that Naval Air Station Lemoore is prepared for the upcoming challenges the Navy will place on the base. I would also like to thank Representative Murtha for his continued support of much needed projects at Lemoore. I know that funding in this year's Military Construction Appropriations was under considerable budget constraints and so I am pleased that several vital projects for Lemoore were included in the final markup of the bill. Naval Air Station Lemoore currently supports 27,000 military, civilian, dependent, and retired personnel as the Navy's only West coast Master Jet Air Station. With Lemoore Naval Air Station being designated as the base for the new F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Fighter Aircraft, it is projected that this figure will grow to 33,000 over the next 5 years. Considering the cost of training these additional pilots, as well as the critical importance of the F/A-18's Super Hornets to the future of the Naval air program, military construction projects at Lemoore Naval Air Station have become a vital component of not only the base's mission, but the mission of our National Defense. Due to this significant growth, secluded location and deteriorating facilities, quality of life construction projects have become critically important. A recent survey done at Lemoore confirmed this reality when pilots reported that living conditions diminish morale and threaten pilot retention rates when they are not addressed. I am confident that we can work to properly address these concerns if we are able to construct and upgrade facilities that directly affect the quality of life of our nation's military personnel. The military construction projects in the Fiscal Year 2000 Appropriations for Lemoore provide a good start in addressing these issues, but we must see to it that the Defense's million to improve morale and retain pilots continues to be implemented in the years ahead. The bill we have before us today, H.R. 2465, includes language supporting this effort and specifically directs the Navy to ``accelerate the design of quality of life projects at Lemoore Naval Air Station, and to include the required construction funding in its fiscal year 2001 budget request.'' I am happy to see this direction included and am hopeful that the Administration and Congress will act accordingly. Support of these military construction projects will help Naval Air Station Lemoore meet its national defense responsibilities in the coming decades. Mr. WELLER. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to lend my strong support for passage of H.R. 2465, the Fiscal Year 2000 Military Construction Appropriations Act. This $8.5 billion measure recognizes the needs of our military infrastructure, continues our efforts at base closure and realignment, and most importantly puts military families first. One of the much needed items in this bill to improve the quality of life for our people in uniform is the $10.952 million appropriation for the construction of the Marseilles National Guard Training Facility in my Congressional District. The Marseilles complex has been requested by the Illinois Department of Military Affairs and the Pentagon since 1994. Not until this year did the President recognize the need for this facility and I am pleased that President Clinton included funding for this project in his FY 2000 budget. This facility would be the first permanent training complex for the National Guard in the State of Illinois, serving all of the 10,245 members of the Guard in Illinois. Currently, members of the Illinois National Guard are forced to travel to bases in Wisconsin and Kentucky some as far as 350 miles away to conduct routine maneuvers. As you can imagine, this places a severe stress on the scope and timing of military operations, and even greater stress on the members of the Guard and their families. The Marseilles site is easily accessible from Interstate 80 and is in close proximity to Interstates 39 and 55, Chicago, Joliet and Springfield. The Marseilles site is currently used by the Guard for small training exercises that are conducted out of tents and military vehicles with restroom facilities consisting of portable toilets that are of an unacceptable condition for these troops. The proposed complex in Marseilles would reduce travel time to and from training for most Illinois Guard members and would include barracks and dining facilities that would help to boost morale and retention within the ranks. The immediate construction of the Marseilles complex would provide the multiple benefits of substantially helping local business, spurring development in the undeveloped area south of the Illinois River, while providing a convenient training site that will help to ensure troop readiness and an acceptable quality of life. Mr. Speaker, I extend my deep appreciation to Chairman Hobson of the Military Construction Subcommittee, and on behalf of the residents and small business owners of Marseilles and the over 10,000 members of the Illinois National Guard I say thank you for helping to get this important project underway. Mr. HAYES. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank our distinguished Chairman for his commitment to our Armed Services personnel, who rely on the United States Congress to address important quality of life issues. The Chairman and the members of his subcommittee deserve our gratitude for their fine work in crafting the legislation before us. In particular, I want to thank the Chairman for his personal attention to the needs of our soldiers and airmen, and their families, at Ft. Bragg and Pope Air Force Base in the 8th District of North Carolina. It should be noted that back in February the Chairman and his subcommittee were handed a flawed funding proposal by the Administration--one that called for an unprecedented piecemeal funding approach. The Chairman and his subcommittee wisely rejected this proposal, realizing that incremental funding simply doesn't work for military construction. Instead, the House is considering legislation that properly addresses that military housing needs of our armed services. Mr. Chairman, let me also take this opportunity to bring to the attention of the Chairman and those members who will join him in representing the House during the MilCon Appropriations conference an important issue to the 8th District and all of North Carolina. Included in the Senate version of this legislation is report language directing the Army National Guard to include for a combat arms educational facility in its Fiscal Year 2001 budget submission. The current facilities for the North Carolina Guard's education center are antiquated and no longer meet their needs. I have before me a letter from Brigadier General Michael Squier, Deputy Director of the Army National Guard, stating that the Educational Facility is of the highest priority. Such a strong endorsement certainly indicates to me that this facility is an important project. I appreciate the Chairman's consideration of the Senate language and his commitment to America's patriots in uniform. [[Page 15708]] Departments of the Army and the Air Force National Guard Bureau Arlington, VA, May 25, 1999. Hon. Jesse Helms, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: I deeply apologize for our error in submitting information on the Military Education Center at Fort Bragg. We had earlier reported that it was not in the Future Years Defense Plan. It most definitely is, as shown in the Army National Guard's Fiscal Year 2000 Budget Submission for Military Construction (copy enclosed). This project is of the highest priority to the Army National Guard and has my personal interest along with that of Major General Rudisill, the Adjutant General of North Carolina. Your support of the National Guard is appreciated as always. Sincerely, Michael J. Squier, Brigadier General, U.S. Army, Deputy Director, Army National Guard. Mr. OLVER. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time. 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 military construction, family housing, and base realignment and closure functions administered by the Department of Defense, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000, 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, $1,223,405,000, to remain available until September 30, 2004: Provided, That of this amount, not to exceed $87,205,000 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. 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, $968,862,000, to remain available until September 30, 2004: Provided, That of this amount, not to exceed $65,010,000 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, $752,367,000, to remain available until September 30, 2004: Provided, That of this amount, not to exceed $32,104,000 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 currently authorized by law, $755,718,000, to remain available until September 30, 2004: 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 $33,324,000 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, $135,129,000, to remain available until September 30, 2004. 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, $180,870,000, to remain available until September 30, 2004. 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, $92,515,000, to remain available until September 30, 2004. 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, $21,574,000, to remain available until September 30, 2004. 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, $66,549,000, to remain available until September 30, 2004. 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, $81,000,000, 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, $89,200,000, to remain available until September 30, 2004; for Operation and Maintenance, and for debt payment, $1,089,812,000; in all $1,179,012,000. 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, $312,559,000, to remain available until September 30, 2004; for Operation and Maintenance, and for debt payment, $895,070,000; in all $1,207,629,000. 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, [[Page 15709]] $344,996,000, to remain available until September 30, 2004; for Operation and Maintenance, and for debt payment, $821,892,000; in all $1,166,888,000. 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, $50,000, to remain available until September 30, 2004; for Operation and Maintenance, $41,440,000; in all $41,490,000. Department of Defense Family Housing Improvement Fund For the Department of Defense Family Housing Improvement Fund, $2,000,000, to remain available until expended, as the sole source of funds for planning, administrative, and oversight costs relating to family housing initiatives undertaken pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2883, pertaining to alternative means of acquiring and improving military family housing, and supporting facilities. 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), $705,911,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That not more than $360,073,000 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. Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that the remainder of the bill through page 20, line 17, be considered as read, printed in the Record, and open to amendment at any point. The CHAIRMAN. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Ohio? There was no objection. The text of the remainder of the bill through page 20, line 17, is as follows: 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; (2) purchases negotiated by the Attorney General or his designee; (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. 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 30 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 2 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 5-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 [[Page 15710]] 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. Subject to 30 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. Sec. 124. (a) Not later than 60 days before issuing any solicitation for a contract with the private sector for military family 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 Armed Services and the Military Construction Subcommittee, Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. (transfer of funds) Sec. 125. During the current fiscal year, in addition to any other transfer authority available to the Department of Defense, amounts may be transferred from the account established by section 2906(a)(1) of the Department of Defense Authorization Act, 1991, to the fund established by section 1013(d) of the Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Development Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 3374) to pay for expenses associated with the Homeowners Assistance Program. Any amounts transferred shall be merged with and be available for the same purposes and for the same time period as the fund to which transferred. Sec. 126. Notwithstanding this or any other provision of law, funds appropriated in Military Construction Appropriations Acts for operations and maintenance of family housing shall be the exclusive source of funds for repair and maintenance of flag and general officer quarters: Provided, That not more than $15,000 per unit may be spent annually for the maintenance and repair of any general or flag officers quarters without thirty days advance prior notification of the appropriate committees of Congress: Provided further, That out-of-cycle notifications are prohibited with the exception of those justified by emergency or safety-related items: Provided further, That the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) is to report on a quarterly basis to the appropriate committees of Congress all operations and maintenance expenditures for each individual flag and general officer quarters. Sec. 127. The first proviso under the heading ``MILITARY CONSTRUCTION TRANSFER FUND'' in chapter 6 of title II of the 1999 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act (Public Law 106-31) is amended by inserting ``and to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Security Investment Program as provided in section 2806 of title 10, United States Code'' after ``to military construction accounts''. Sec. 128. Notwithstanding any other provisions in this Act, the following accounts are hereby reduced by the specified amounts-- ``Military Construction, Army'', $38,253,000; ``Military Construction, Navy'', $30,277,000; ``Military Construction, Air Force'', $23,511,000; ``Military Construction, Defense-wide'', $23,616,000; ``Military Construction, Army National Guard'', $4,223,000; ``Military Construction, Air National Guard'', $5,652,000; ``Military Construction, Army Reserve'', $2,891,000; ``Military Construction, Naval Reserve'', $674,000; and ``Military Construction, Air Force Reserve'', $2,080,000. Sec. 129. The Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force are directed to submit to the appropriate committees of the Congress by June 1, 2000, a Family Housing Master Plan demonstrating how they plan to meet the year 2010 housing goals with traditional construction, operation and maintenance support, as well as privatization initiative proposals. Each plan shall include projected life cycle costs for family housing construction, basic allowance for housing, operation and maintenance, other associated costs, and a time line for housing completions each year. The CHAIRMAN. Are there amendments to the bill? The Clerk will read the last 2 lines of the bill. The Clerk read as follows: This Act may be cited as the ``Military Construction Appropriations Act, 2000''. The CHAIRMAN. Are there any amendments? If not, under the rule, the Committee rises. Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Pease) having assumed the chair, Mr. Gillmor, 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. 2465) making appropriations for military construction, family housing, and base realignment and closure for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000, and for other purposes, pursuant to House Resolution 242, 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. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill. Pursuant to clause 10 of rule XX, the yeas and nays are ordered. The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 418, nays 4, not voting 13, as follows: [Roll No. 280] YEAS--418 Abercrombie Ackerman Aderholt Allen Andrews Archer Armey Bachus Baird Baker Baldacci Baldwin Ballenger Barcia Barr Barrett (NE) Barrett (WI) Bartlett Barton Bass Bateman Becerra Bentsen Bereuter Berkley Berman Berry Biggert Bilbray Bilirakis Bishop Blagojevich Bliley Blumenauer Blunt Boehlert Boehner Bonilla Bonior Bono Borski Boswell Boucher Boyd Brady (PA) Brady (TX) Brown (FL) Brown (OH) Bryant Burr Burton Buyer Callahan Calvert Camp Campbell Canady Cannon Capps Capuano Cardin Carson Castle Chabot Chambliss Clay Clayton Clement Clyburn Coble Coburn Collins Condit Conyers Cook Cooksey Costello Cox Coyne Cramer Crane Crowley Cubin Cummings Cunningham Danner Davis (FL) Davis (IL) Davis (VA) Deal DeFazio DeGette Delahunt DeLauro DeLay DeMint Deutsch Diaz-Balart Dickey Dicks Dingell Dixon Doggett Dooley Doolittle Doyle Dreier Duncan Dunn Edwards Ehlers Ehrlich Emerson Engel English Eshoo Etheridge Evans Everett Ewing Farr Fattah Filner Fletcher Foley Forbes Ford Fossella Fowler Frank (MA) Franks (NJ) Frelinghuysen Frost Gallegly Ganske Gekas Gephardt Gibbons Gilchrest Gillmor Gilman Gonzalez Goode Goodlatte Goodling Gordon Goss Graham Granger Green (TX) Green (WI) Greenwood Gutierrez [[Page 15711]] Gutknecht Hall (OH) Hall (TX) Hansen Hastert Hastings (WA) Hayes Hayworth Hefley Herger Hill (IN) Hill (MT) Hilleary Hilliard Hinchey Hinojosa Hobson Hoeffel Hoekstra Holden Holt Hooley Horn Hostettler Houghton Hoyer Hulshof Hunter Hutchinson Hyde Inslee Isakson Istook Jackson (IL) Jackson-Lee (TX) Jefferson Jenkins John Johnson (CT) Johnson, E.B. Johnson, Sam Jones (NC) Jones (OH) Kanjorski Kaptur Kelly Kennedy Kildee Kilpatrick Kind (WI) King (NY) Kingston Kleczka Klink Knollenberg Kolbe Kucinich Kuykendall LaFalce LaHood Lampson Lantos Largent Larson Latham LaTourette Lazio Leach Lee Levin Lewis (CA) Lewis (GA) Lewis (KY) Linder Lipinski LoBiondo Lofgren Lowey Lucas (KY) Lucas (OK) Luther Maloney (CT) Maloney (NY) Manzullo Markey Martinez Mascara Matsui McCarthy (MO) McCarthy (NY) McCollum McCrery McGovern McHugh McInnis McIntosh McIntyre McKeon McKinney McNulty Meehan Meeks (NY) Menendez Metcalf Mica Millender-McDonald Miller (FL) Miller, Gary Miller, George Minge Mink Moakley Mollohan Moore Moran (KS) Moran (VA) Morella Murtha Myrick Nadler Napolitano Neal Nethercutt Ney Northup Nussle Oberstar Obey Olver Ortiz Ose Owens Oxley Packard Pallone Pascrell Pastor Payne Pease Pelosi Peterson (MN) Peterson (PA) Petri Phelps Pickering Pickett Pitts Pombo Pomeroy Porter Portman Price (NC) Pryce (OH) Quinn Radanovich Rahall Ramstad Rangel Regula Reyes Reynolds Riley Rivers Rodriguez Roemer Rogan Rogers Rohrabacher Ros-Lehtinen Rothman Roukema Roybal-Allard Rush Ryan (WI) Ryun (KS) Sabo Salmon Sanchez Sanders Sandlin Sanford Sawyer Saxton Schaffer Schakowsky Scott Sensenbrenner Serrano Sessions Shadegg Shaw Shays Sherman Sherwood Shimkus Shows Shuster Simpson Sisisky Skeen Skelton Slaughter Smith (MI) Smith (NJ) Smith (TX) Smith (WA) Snyder Souder Spence Spratt Stabenow Stearns Stenholm Strickland Stump Stupak Sununu Talent Tancredo Tanner Tauscher Tauzin Taylor (MS) Taylor (NC) Terry Thomas Thompson (CA) Thompson (MS) Thornberry Thune Tiahrt Tierney Toomey Towns Traficant Turner Udall (CO) Udall (NM) Upton Velazquez Vento Visclosky Vitter Walden Walsh Wamp Waters Watkins Watt (NC) Watts (OK) Waxman Weiner Weldon (FL) Weldon (PA) Weller Wexler Whitfield Wicker Wilson Wolf Woolsey Wu Wynn Young (AK) Young (FL) NAYS--4 Norwood Paul Royce Stark NOT VOTING--13 Brown (CA) Chenoweth Combest Gejdenson Hastings (FL) Kasich McDermott Meek (FL) Scarborough Sweeney Thurman Weygand Wise {time} 1515 Ms. BALDWIN changed her vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.'' So the bill was passed. The result of the vote was announced as above recorded. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________