REP. TAYLOR ANNOUNCES HOUSE PASSAGE OF NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT | | Print | |
Important shipbuilding measures sponsored by Rep. Taylor included in bill WASHINGTON - Rep. Taylor announced that the House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 last night by a vote of 384 to 23. "This bill will help our troops by increasing readiness and giving our soldiers and their families the benefits that they deserve," Rep. Taylor said. "It will also provide the Navy with a roadmap to achieve its requirement of a 313-ship fleet." The bill includes a provision introduced by Rep. Taylor, chairman of the Seapower and Expeditionary Forces Subcommittee, authorizing funding for the Navy to build four additional ships, bringing the Fiscal Year 2009 total to 12. This includes $1.8 billion for an additional LPD-17 class amphibious warship. These vessels are built at Northrop Grumman Corp. shipyards in Mississippi and Louisiana. The bill also includes $2.73 billion to build mine-resistant, ambush-protected armored vehicles. One of the MRAP production plants is located in West Point, MS. 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:
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