[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 12498-12499]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL

  Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, yesterday the Senate approved the 
National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2007. I was pleased 
to vote in favor of this bill. I wish to express my deepest gratitude 
and respect to Chairman Warner and Ranking Member Levin for their 
tireless dedication to making sure this legislation was passed in a 
spirit of bipartisanship. I am honored to be part of their efforts to 
build a stronger, safer America.
  This legislation is good for our troops, good for Colorado, and good 
for America.
  Our troops--the men and women who selflessly defend the democratic 
way of life both here and abroad--deserve nothing less than our 
steadfast support. I was pleased that we were able to show that support 
in a significant way with the passage of this Defense Authorization 
Act.
  First of all, starting at the beginning of next year, all military 
personnel will receive a 2.2-percent pay raise. This extra money in the 
pockets of our servicemembers will go a long way as they continue to 
simultaneously serve our country and work to provide for their own 
families.
  Second, the Senate has sternly rejected the Pentagon's ill-conceived 
increase in the medical fees for retirees. This is important to our 
long-term commitment to provide for those who have served our country 
with dedication and determination.
  As part of this Nation's commitment to taking care of the families of 
our servicemembers, this legislation also authorizes a pilot program to 
promote early childhood education for military children affected by the 
relocation of military units or overseas deployments.
  For our wounded soldiers, we are enacting strong requirements to make 
sure they receive an audit of their pay, and setting up a toll-free 
call assistance center for military personnel and next of kin who are 
experiencing pay problems. We need to take care of our wounded 
veterans, and this is one small step that will go a long way in meeting 
that goal. Along those same lines, we are also authorizing $10 million 
for pilot projects to address the growing problem of post-traumatic 
stress disorder.
  This legislation will also strengthen our troop levels for ground 
forces, adding 30,000 more troops to the Army's end-strength, 5,000 
more troops to the Active-Duty Marines, and 17,000 more troops to the 
Army National Guard. I strongly support these provisions.
  Additionally, the Defense Authorization Act supports several programs 
that our troops rely on to successfully complete their missions. There 
is money for new helicopters to replace those lost in Operation Iraqi 
Freedom: $71.0 million to purchase UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, and 
$333.1 million to purchase CH-47 Chinook helicopters.
  There is over $950 million for protective equipment for our fighting 
men and women, including over $550 million for up-armored HMMWVs.
  This legislation also provides over $2 billion in funding for new 
technologies to help keep our troops protected from improvised 
explosive devices, IEDs. Every American knows that IEDs pose one of the 
most terrible threats to the safety of our servicemembers currently in 
Iraq. It is our responsibility to protect our fighting men and women 
from that evolving threat to the best of our ability.
  All told, the Defense Authorization Act of fiscal year 2007 is very 
strong on providing for our troops, and I wholeheartedly support that 
effort.
  In addition, Mr. President, I am proud of the significant, Colorado-
specific funding in this bill that will solidify Colorado as America's 
crown jewel for national defense and homeland security.
  Specifically, the bill designates $130.7 million for military 
construction projects in Colorado. This includes $26 million for Fort 
Carson to build a combat services support complex for special operating 
forces and another $24 million for the next phase of construction of 
the airfield arrival/depart complex.
  At Buckley Air Force Base, $10.7 million is authorized for 
construction of the consolidated fuels facility, and another $7 million 
is authorized for a new Air National Guard Squadron operations 
facility.
  At Schriever Air Force Base, $21 million is set aside for 
construction of the Space test and evaluation facility.
  And finally, there is $42 million authorized for chemical weapons 
demilitarization construction for Pueblo Chemical Depot.
  Funds for the Base Realignment and Closure, BRAC, authorized in this 
legislation will bring another $202 million to Fort Carson. There is 
$118 million for the construction of a brigade combat team complex and 
$84 million for the construction of a division headquarters for the 4th 
Infantry Division relocating from Fort Hood, TX.
  I am also pleased to note that this legislation authorizes $10 
million to purchase interoperable communications equipment for 
NORTHCOM. Earlier in the year I added an amendment to the budget 
resolution to provide that $10 million for NORTHCOM. Interoperable 
communications are absolutely necessary for NORTHCOM to be

[[Page 12499]]

able to respond as quickly and effectively as possible to a homeland 
security emergency.
  I am also extremely pleased that several amendments I offered were 
passed by the Senate.
  My Chemical Weapons Convention amendment sends an extremely strong 
message to the Department of Defense that the Senate will no longer 
stand for schedule or funding delays regarding the destruction of 
chemical weapons. Pueblo Chemical Depot needs to be rid of its chemical 
weapons stockpiles. The Department of Defense needs to commit the 
resources to ensure it happens as quickly as possible. With my 
amendment, the entire Senate spoke with one voice in agreement.
  Another amendment I offered and had included in the Senate bill will 
change the name of the death gratuity to fallen hero compensation. I 
have stated this before, but I believe the term ``death gratuity'' to 
be a poor description of the compensation this Nation provides to the 
families of fallen servicemembers. To my way of thinking, anyone who 
has worn the uniform of the Armed Forces is an American hero, and this 
small name change will be extremely meaningful to the bereaved families 
of those servicemembers who die while on active duty.
  I am also pleased that Chairman Warner and Senator Levin have worked 
with me to accept an amendment that requires the Secretary of the Army 
to complete a study on the High Altitude Aviation Training Site, HAATS, 
in Eagle County, CO. HAATS is operated by the Colorado National Guard, 
and I could not be prouder of the school and its mission. Helicopter 
pilots trained at HAATS are safer in mountainous and environmentally 
challenging terrain. This study I have proposed will strengthen the 
school and will help raise its level of visibility in the Army.
  I also cosponsored a number of important amendments that have been 
included in the Senate's bill. One amendment will ensure the Pentagon 
provides the citizens of southeastern Colorado with the information 
they have been asking for regarding the Pinon Canyon Maneuvering Site. 
Another helps provide contractors at Pueblo Chemical Depot with 
incentives to finish by the deadline. On a national level, I was proud 
to cosponsor a fiscally responsible amendment authored by Senator 
McCain that requires future money for ongoing military operations to be 
properly budgeted and paid for, instead of continuing to use emergency 
funding in a way that avoids oversight. And I was pleased to cosponsor 
a successful amendment to strengthen the mandate of the Special 
Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction.
  During consideration of this bill, the Senate engaged in many hours 
of debate regarding the course of U.S. policy in Iraq. I was proud to 
be a cosponsor of the Levin-Reed amendment that built upon last year's 
Senate consensus that 2006 should be a year of transition in Iraq. 
While this amendment was not successful, I believe that the debate was 
important, and that Congress must continue to search for constructive 
and responsible ways to help ensure success in Iraq by insisting on 
more direction and clarity in U.S. policy. Our brave men and women in 
uniform are doing such a remarkable job in Iraq. We need to work hard 
here in Washington to ensure that our policy is worthy of their 
efforts.
  Our troops need every opportunity for success. This funding bill, and 
the amendments and projects it contains, send a powerful message to our 
troops and the enemies they bravely face: this country supports our men 
and women in uniform. Our brave service men and women are the best in 
the world, and this bill will ensure they have the training, supplies, 
and materials they need to continue to produce such positive results.

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