Bills Subject to a Rule (1 bill)

H.R. 5385
Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2007          

Floor Situation

The House is scheduled to consider H.R. 5385, pursuant to a rule, on Friday, May 19, 2006.

On Thursday, May 18, 2006 the Rules Committee granted an open rule that:

• Provides one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee on Appropriations.
• Waives all points of order against consideration of the bill.
• Under the rules of the House the bill shall be read for amendment by paragraph.
• Waives all points of order against provisions in the bill for failure to comply with clause 2 of rule XXI (prohibiting unauthorized appropriations or legislative provisions in an appropriations bill), except as specified in the resolution.
• Authorizes the Chair to accord priority in recognition to Members who have pre-printed their amendments in the Congressional Record.
• Provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions.

Summary

FY 2006 Appropriation             $85.0 billion (+$37.2 billion Mandatory)
President’s FY 2007 Request     $95.5 billion (+$41.4 billion Mandatory)
FY 2007 bill                             $94.7 billion (+$41.4 billion Mandatory)

HIGHLIGHTS

Veterans Medical Care and Benefits:

• Providing historic levels of funding for Veterans Medical Services:  The committee for the first time ever used the Veterans Service Organization’s Independent Budget as the base-line for FY 2007 funding.  The committee adopted the veterans groups’ recommendations to increase funds by 6.3% to accommodate the spike in veterans returning from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.   In addition, the committee increases resources for mental health services, prosthetics and dental care.  Total funding is $25,412,000,000, $2.6 billion above last year’s level and $100 million below the President’s request. 
• Improving Administration of Care:  $100 million was shifted from Medical Services to Medical Administration to ensure that care is being administered effectively and to help avoid potential shortfalls in funding.  The bill also increases resources by $45 million to support information technology initiatives which would ensure continuity of operations and consolidate overlapping functions thus decreasing operating costs. 
• Proposed Fees for Veterans:  Does not contain additional fees as proposed in the Administration’s request.
• Expanding Community-Based Outpatient Clinics:  The bill increases resources by $25 million to open a minimum of 10 clinics in fiscal year 2007.  These clinics are popular with veterans because they provide more convenient care than traditional large hospital facilities. 
• Improving State Veteran’s Homes:  The bill increases resources by $20 million over last year’s level and the request to make facility improvements in existing state veteran’s homes. 
• Supporting Medical Research:  The bill increases funds by $13 million for basic research for a total of $412 million.  In addition, $12 million was added to start upgrading VA medical research facilities nationwide.
• Mandatory Veteran’s Benefits are increased $4.2 billion over last year.

Military Construction: 

• Total military construction funding is $6.6 billion, $5.6 billion for active duty construction and $1.0 billion for reserve components.
• $4.0 billion for family housing construction and operations to continue the goal of providing adequate housing for our service-members and their families. 

Defense Health: 

The defense health program is increased by $1 billion over last year.  Total funding is $21 billion, the same as the budget request. 

BRAC:

Base realignment and closure activities are funded at $5.5 billion.  These funds are for the implementation and administration of the current and prior rounds of BRAC activities.  

War Contingency Reserve Fund:

The bill includes $500 million from $50 billion war reserve to fund urgent, war-related military construction projects requested by the President.

Section by Section

Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Table

Amendments to Be Made in Order on Friday, May 19, 2004

Reps. Blumenauer/Brown-Waite may offer an amendment on Friday, May 19, 2006. The amendment adds $77.5 million dollars to clean-up UXO on closed military bases, with an offset coming from the BRAC 2005 account. Contact: 5-4811
 (Judah Ariel - Blumenauer)

Rep. Tiahrt may offer an amendment on Friday, May 19, 2006.  The amendment prohibits agencies from using funds in the bill to develop or implement regulations without taking into consideration the effect such regulations would have on the competitiveness of U.S. businesses. Contact: 5-6216. (AmyClaire Brusch)

Legislative History

H.R. 5385 was introduced by Rep. Walsh (NY) on May 15, 2006. The bill was reported from the Appropriations Committee, as an original measure and House Report 109-464 was filed. House Report 109-464, Part II was filed on May 16, 2006.

For additional information or questions, please contact the Appropriations Committee at 5-2771.