ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE EXPECTED TO PASS NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT | | Print | |
Important shipbuilding measures sponsored by Rep. Taylor included in bill WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the House Committee on Armed Services is expected to pass the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009. The bill will contain provisions introduced by Rep. Gene Taylor, chairman of the Seapower and Expeditionary Forces Subcommittee, including authorizing funding for the Navy to build four additional ships, bringing the Fiscal Year 2009 total to 12. "The Navy will now be one step closer to its requirement of a 313-ship fleet," Taylor said. "I am pleased that the committee has agreed to include the authorization of additional ships, along with other provisions that will greatly help our military achieve a more appropriate level of readiness." The bill includes the following measures:
Provides a 3.9 percent pay increase for those in uniform and prohibits increases in health care fees for military families. The bill will provide a pay raise one-half of one percent above the amount the President requested in the budget. The bill will also prohibit the Department of Defense from implementing increases in TRICARE health and pharmacy fees for another year. The provisions in the bill introduced by Rep. Taylor build upon the Navy's request for eight ships by authorizing funding for up to four additional ships - bringing the Fiscal Year 2009 total to as many as 12 ships. With ships having an average 30-year service life, the Navy must build at a rate of 10 ships per year to achieve and maintain a 300-ship fleet. Rep. Taylor's provisions include:
The NDAA is expected to go to the House floor for a vote next week. Rep. Taylor will offer an amendment to the bill that will suggest that some Mine Resistant, Ambush Protected Vehicles be used in training before the troops are deployed. "I am troubled that some troops arrive in Iraq and Afghanistan without ever having seen an MRAP," Taylor said. "The bedrock of our soldiers' competency is realistic training. If we are truly going to train as we fight, then we must have our troops train with MRAPs."
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