Guam Benefits in Fiscal Year 2007 National Defense Authorization Act
$193 Million in Guam Military Construction Projects Authorized; Bordallo’s “Repair American” Ship Repair Amendment Approved; Congress Blocks Increases in Retiree Drug Co-Payments Proposed by the President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—September 29, 2006—Washington, DC—

The House of Representatives today passed the Fiscal Year 2007 National Defense Authorization Act, which authorizes a total of $462.8 billion for all the activities of the Department of Defense, and for other national security related programs.  The final bill includes an additional $70 billion authorization for a “bridge fund” supplemental for Fiscal Year 2007 to help fight the War on Terror.  The “bridge fund” includes $23.7 billion to replace and reset equipment lost or damaged in operations.

“The Defense Authorization Act passed by Congress today is legislation important to our national security and to our men and women serving in uniform,” Congresswoman Bordallo said. “This bill includes many provisions to support our men and women serving in uniform as well as military retirees who have served our nation in the past. The bill provides for the immediate needs of our armed services and for many programs vital to the future security of our nation.”

At the Congresswoman’s urging, the bill also closes a legal loophole which allowed the U.S. Navy to repair some Navy ships in foreign shipyards despite their being homeported on Guam or making frequent port calls on Guam. Bordallo worked closely with House Armed Services Committee leaders to win passage of this statutory remedy, a “Repair American” provision which now includes Guam as part of the United States for ship repair purposes, closing a loophole in a definition that has caused the Guam Shipyard to lose some ship repair work.  The bill also includes a requirement for the Navy to study future growth and expected increased utilization of the Guam Shipyard.

“It is vitally important to protect the workforce of America’s skilled ship repair industry. This is especially true on Guam, where our shipyard provides a secure U.S. ship repair facility, with skilled American laborers in a forward, strategic location,” Bordallo said. “By clarifying that Apra Harbor should be treated as a U.S. location, we are supporting the skilled men and women of the Guam Shipyard.”

The bill also blocks Department of Defense efforts to increase prescription drug co-payments of military retirees who use the TRICARE health program, an effort Bordallo strongly supported. Further, provisions to protect servicemembers from predatory payday lending practices were included in the legislation as well as a provision requiring full payment of Servicemembers Group Life Insurance premiums for all active duty servicemembers deployed into a combat zone.

“This legislation contains provisions that reflect a strong commitment to doing what is right for our servicemen and women and our retirees,” Bordallo said. “Increasing co-payments for prescription drugs for retirees with TRICARE health insurance was simply unacceptable.”

The bill also contains $193 million in new military construction projects for Guam – a $31 million increase over the 2006 level. The authorized military construction projects are:

• $52.8 million for a Global Hawk Aircraft Maintenance and Operations Complex at Andersen AFB.
• $12.5 million to upgrade Northwest Field Infrastructure, Phase I.
• $29.972 million for Alpha/Bravo Wharves Improvements, Increment 2.
• $48.017 million for Family Housing (replace 68 units).
• $50.157 million for Family Housing (replace 108 units).

“Increased military construction on Guam means increased jobs for Guam,” Bordallo said. “The increase in military construction projects on Guam also is an indication that the Department of Defense continues to value the bases on Guam and our strategic location.”

In order to meet the construction demands stemming from the impending arrival of 8,000 Marines and their dependents from Okinawa over the next few years, a provision repealing a prohibition that prevented H2-B skilled foreign laborers from working on military construction projects on Guam was included in the final bill. Congresswoman Bordallo continues to work with officials in the Department of Defense to ensure that the focus on Guam will remain the training of the local workforce to meet future labor demands. Further, Guam laborers will be prioritized over foreign labor for all projects executed on Guam. Department of Defense officials emphasized the importance of enabling a sufficient workforce on Guam to meet the requirements of the international agreement reached with the Japanese which includes the movement of Marines to Guam from Okinawa on a timeline that likely will demand a workforce beyond what is available on Guam.

“My focus remains ensuring maximum workforce training and employment opportunities for our people in the impending military buildup,” Bordallo said. “The timely movement of Marines is a component of an international agreement and it is also important that our island be able to complete construction without undue obstacles so that our community can benefit from the move and take advantage of the many other opportunities the move will bring for our island.”

The bill also:

·        Requires a report on the feasibility of establishing a Military Entrance Processing Command Station on Guam;

·        Denied authority to allow the President to involuntarily call up the reserves for operational support in response to a serious natural or manmade disaster, accident or catastrophe (provisions which would have extended this authority to the President were staunchly opposed by Congresswoman Bordallo and Governor Camacho);

• Requires the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves to study and report on the advisability and feasibility of implementing the provisions of H.R. 5200, the National Guard Empowerment Act;
• Requires the President to appoint a senior presidential coordinator of U.S. policy on North Korea and requires submission of a semi-annual report to Congress on the nuclear and missile programs of North Korea;
• Requires the Secretary of Defense to take steps to ensure that military wheeled vehicles used in Iraq and Afghanistan are protected by Improvised Explosive Device (IED) jammers;
• Authorizes overall ballistic missile defense funding at $10.4 billion.

The Senate is expected to begin consideration of the final bill passed by the House within the next few hours, and with its approval the bill will be sent to the White House for the President’s action before it can become law.

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Contact: Joseph E. Duenas in Washington, D.C. at 202-225-1188 or Joy James at

671-477-4272/4.

joseph.duenas@mail.house.gov or joy.james@mail.house.gov

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www.house.gov/bordallo

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