[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 23498]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 4200, RONALD W. REAGAN NATIONAL DEFENSE 
                 AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2005

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. JAMES R. LANGEVIN

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 8, 2004

  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Armed Services 
Committee, I am pleased to speak in support of the conference report 
before us. Chairman Hunter and Ranking Member Skelton deserve great 
credit for negotiating a bill that will provide our military--and the 
men and women who serve in it--the resources they need to keep America 
strong in the 21st century. It is always a daunting task to craft 
legislation that balances the needs of our services, and such an effort 
is even more challenging during a time of military conflict. The 
chairman and ranking member have succeeded admirably in this endeavor, 
and the product before us today is a fine example of careful 
craftsmanship and bipartisan cooperation. We are proud of our men and 
women in uniform, and we must ensure that they are given the resources 
necessary to succeed in their mission.
  H.R. 4200 recognizes the importance of our service men and women in 
the field and around the world and demonstrates the appreciation of 
Congress through the provision of a 3.5% pay increase for military 
personnel in FY 2005 and a permanent increase in the family-separation 
allowance and imminent-danger pay. I am particularly pleased that the 
measure extends TRICARE benefits to nonactive duty reservists. Our 
Reserve component has served the Nation professionally and valiantly 
even though they and their families have often had to make sacrifices. 
Providing enhanced access to TRICARE will provide greater stability to 
reservist families and will ensure that we do not lose qualified 
servicemembers because of insufficient access to health care.
  The conference report also addresses several major problems that my 
colleagues on the committee and I have been working to solve. Our 
committee and our colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the House 
have fought for an end to a current flaw in our survivor benefits 
system that penalizes military spouses. For too long, military spouses 
have witnessed their survivor benefits drop by more than one-third once 
reaching the age of 62. Comparable civilian plans provide survivors a 
lifetime annuity of 50-55 percent of retired pay and protect against a 
drop in annuity at age 62. As a cosponsor of the Military Survivor 
Benefits Improvement Act, I have supported efforts to repeal this 
unfair burden and am pleased that this legislation would phase out from 
October 2005 to March 2008 the current offset under the Survivor 
Benefit Plan, and increase the annuities paid to survivors of military 
retirees who are 62 years or older. Additionally, the agreement 
expedites last year's concurrent receipt improvements by authorizing 
full concurrent receipt for disabled military retirees rated 100% 
disabled.
  I am, however, disappointed, that the conference report scaled back 
the provisions that I offered with Congressman Jim Cooper during 
committee consideration that would ensure greater equity and efficiency 
of the Department of Defense's contracting process. The agreement 
appears to close loopholes that have allowed the Department of Defense 
to avoid Congressionally mandated competition requirements and provides 
limited appeal rights for government employees to challenge contract 
decisions. Yet it falls short in other areas intended to guarantee 
taxpayer savings and improved efficiency in DoD contracting procedures. 
I look forward to working with the committee to implement H.R. 4200's 
provisions and to address other shortcomings in this area.
  Overall, this legislation is a well-balanced approach to the needs of 
our Nation's military, and I commend the chairman, ranking member, and 
my colleagues on the committee for a fine work product.

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