[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Pages 8484-8485]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL

  Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I rise to speak in support of the 
Fiscal Year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, a bill upon which 
we have fortunately invoked cloture today and which I hope will allow 
us to proceed to finish this vitally important legislation.
  I wish to commend both Chairman McCain and Ranking Member Reed for 
their leadership as they worked together. Their bill puts us on a path 
toward addressing the myriad threats we face today. In fact, in my 
years in the Senate, it is difficult to think of a time in which we 
have faced more threats from more different adversaries around the 
world. These national security challenges include the challenges posed 
by ISIS, as it continues to control territory and key cities in Syria 
and Iraq and spreads to other countries, such as Libya and Nigeria; Al 
Qaeda and other Islamic extremist terrorist groups determined to attack 
our country and our allies; Russia's aggressive operations in Ukraine, 
the Baltics, and Syria; and China's aggressive military activities in 
the South China Sea.
  This bill funds programs that ensure our Nation's continued presence 
and deterrence missions, including $271 million to help complete the 
construction of two DDG-1000 Destroyers. These ships provide 
capabilities including stealth technology, electric propulsion, and a 
smaller crew size. The Navy recently accepted delivery of the first 
DDG-1000, the Zumwalt--a major milestone for this revolutionary 
program. Given the ship's cutting-edge technology, unique hull, and 
advanced combat systems, the shipbuilders at Bath Iron Works in my 
State should be commended for their exceptional work and dedication in 
building the largest naval destroyer and the most advanced naval 
destroyer in history.
  The bill before us also includes $3.2 billion for the procurement of 
two Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyers as part of a multiyear procurement 
contract, as well as incremental funding for a third fiscal year 2016 
Flight Three Destroyer. This much needed additional destroyer, which 
ranks No. 2 on the Navy's unfunded priorities list, will be built at 
Bath Iron Works. As the workhorses of the Navy, these destroyers help 
ensure that our Navy's capabilities remain unrivaled in delivering 
power and presence across the globe. From freedom of navigation 
missions in the South China Sea to addressing Iranian aggression in the 
Strait of Hormuz, these ships signal to enemies and allies alike that 
the U.S. Navy is ready to respond wherever and whenever it is needed.
  After years of advocacy, I am pleased this legislation also includes 
an important provision that requires the Department of Defense to 
finally comply with the Berry amendment by outfitting new recruits with 
high-quality athletic shoes made in America by skilled American 
workers. This amendment, sponsored by my colleague Senator King, is 
based upon stand-alone legislation that I introduced with my colleague 
from Maine. It is good not only for our troops but also for American 
manufacturing. It is time to stop relying on goods manufactured in 
foreign countries to outfit those who wear the uniform of our Nation. 
It is past time for the Department's circumvention of the Berry 
amendment to be ended when it comes to athletic footwear.
  This bill also provides for investments in our public shipyards, 
which are strategic assets for our national security. For Portsmouth 
Naval Shipyard in Kittery, ME, almost $75 million is authorized for 
necessary upgrades, including $18 million for unaccompanied housing, 
$30 million for utility improvements for nuclear platforms, and $27 
million to construct a replacement for a medical and dental unit that 
is in a building that is 100 years old and does not meet current safety 
standards.
  As the senior member of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, 
and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee, I am 
pleased these authorizations match the funding included in our Military 
Construction and VA spending bill that passed the Senate overwhelmingly 
a few weeks ago. These investments at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard 
will result in the high-quality facilities that shipyard personnel 
deserve as they maintain, repair, and modernize our nuclear submarine 
fleet.
  The bill also provides the resources necessary to help our allies and 
partners around the world. I am pleased it would authorize $50 million 
for the U.S.-Israel Anti-Tunneling Cooperation Program. The terrorist 
organization Hamas continues to construct tunnels from Gaza to Israel, 
which have been used by terrorists to sneak across the border and carry 
out attacks on Israeli citizens.
  Meanwhile, we have the problem of Iran, which has continued to defy a 
U.N. Security Council resolution on its ballistic missile program by 
conducting flight testing of missiles that are inherently capable of 
delivering nuclear weapons that could someday reach the United States. 
They already are capable of reaching Israel, which is why this bill's 
continued support for the U.S.-Israeli cooperative missile defense 
programs is so important.
  I am pleased to note that the National Defense Authorization Act 
contains several measures supporting our servicemembers, who perform 
the important missions we assign them. These provisions include a 1.6-
percent pay raise and reauthorization of bonuses and special pay to 
help encourage retention. I know this has been a real problem, for 
example, for the Air Force in retaining the pilots it needs, who 
oftentimes can make so much more money and have far easier missions and 
hours in the private sector.
  I filed an amendment, as I did last year, to strike a provision in 
this bill that would unfairly discriminate against women 
servicemembers. The provision mandates that if two or more 
servicemembers live in the same house, the amount of the basic 
allowance for housing payable to each member would be divided by the 
total number of members in the house. That means, in cases where a 
servicemember resides with his or her Active-Duty spouse or if a member 
resides with military roommates, each would proportionately lose his or 
her stipend for housing under this bill. This disproportionately 
affects female servicemembers because 20 percent of them are married to 
another servicemember. In contrast, less than 4 percent of Active-Duty 
men are married to Active-Duty women servicemembers. I hope we can 
change this provision.
  Other provisions of this bill would provide additional protections 
for survivors of sexual assault to move closer to the goal of 
translating the military's stated policy of zero tolerance into 
reality. Specifically, the bill would create a new punitive article in 
the Uniform Code of Military Justice that criminalizes acts of 
retaliation. The article would hold servicemembers accountable if they 
threaten or take adverse personnel action against those who report or 
plan to report retaliation.
  Finally, this bill would direct the Pentagon to rein in unnecessary 
and wasteful spending by reducing the number of general and flag 
officers by 25 percent. This is an issue that I have been working on 
with Chairman McCain since 2012, and I am pleased to see the continued 
focus on ending the practice of rank inflation.
  I should mention that I have the greatest respect for the high-
ranking officials as well as for all who serve in our military. But 
this is an issue that we do need to deal with, and I believe this bill 
strikes the appropriate balance. We owe it to taxpayers to assess every 
efficiency and use every cost-saving measure while also ensuring the 
security of our Nation.
  I thank the Presiding Officer for her patience. I know the Senate is 
soon to adjourn. I urge support of this important bill.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.

[[Page 8485]]

  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Perdue). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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