SENATE AND HOUSE COMPLETE CONFERENCE
ON NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT
FOR FISCAL YEAR 2007

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Today Senator John Warner, R-Va., Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Senator Carl Levin, D-Mich., the Committee’s Ranking Minority Member, announced that the Senate and House conferees reached agreement on the “John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007.” The bill authorizes funding for the Department of Defense and the national security programs of the Department of Energy.

Senator Warner said, “I am humbled and honored to have served on this historic committee for twenty eight years, 12 of which as either Ranking Member or Chairman. This strong, bipartisan bill will provide the resources to our men and women in uniform, and their families, as they stand guard the world over – in some 60 countries – to keep America safe. Our forces are protecting us at great personal sacrifice, and we in Congress have a very sacred and constitutional obligation to care for them, and their families. This bill provides our military with the resources to fight the war on terror and defend our security interests around the globe, thereby safeguarding the liberty and freedom we have in America.”

“In this bill – the last bill of my six-year tenure as Chairman, under the rules of the Republican caucus – I am particularly pleased that we have focused on the priorities of enhancing force protection for our troops facing asymmetrical threats in the field; re-setting essential equipment for all the Services, particularly the Army and the Marine Corps; modernizing the force, including strengthening the shipbuilding program and the industrial base; enhancing the Department’s homeland defense capabilities and authorities; improving the quality of life for our dedicated service members and their families; and fulfilling our responsibility to exercise strong congressional oversight of the Department and the ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan,” added Senator Warner.

Senator Levin said, "I am pleased that this bill supports our service members and families by improving health care and increasing military pay and benefits. We expand eligibility for TRICARE to all members of the Selected Reserve and their families without regard to active duty service, and we prohibit increases in TRICARE fees until we can complete a study of TRICARE costs. We also have taken steps to address predatory payday lending practices that target our service members and their families, and we require DoD to implement full replacement value for household goods lost or damaged in military moves. These measures will significantly improve the quality of life for our military families."

“The conference report also strengthens Congressional oversight over current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan by requiring future budgets to include the costs of ongoing military operations there and by strengthening the oversight authorities of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction,” Senator Levin added.

Senator Levin concluded, “I want to congratulate Senator Warner on leading us for one last time through the Defense Authorization conference and producing his usual excellent results. I have had the pleasure to work with him for almost 28 years and I commend him for being guided by the principle of doing what is right for our nation and its military members. It is most fitting that this bill is being named after Senator Warner.”

A summary of the bill’s provisions can be found at http://warner.senate.gov/.

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