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Klobuchar Supports DOD Authorization Bill for Armed Forces

Klobuchar includes Amendment that would create national reintegration initiative based on Minnesota's Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Program Klobuchar-backed measure establishes wartime contracting commission to investigate waste, fraud, and abuse

October 1, 2007

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) today voted in favor of the Defense Authorization Bill to provide better pay, training, and healthcare for military personnel, and to create an independent, bipartisan Commission to investigate U.S. wartime contracting in Iraq.  The bill also included two amendments that Klobuchar helped pass to help Minnesota National Guard members transition back to life as civilians.  The authorization bill passed the Senate today by a vote of 92-3.

“This bill is about putting our nation’s heroes first,” said Klobuchar.  “As Americans, we are all proud of them men and women who serve in our nation’s armed forces and risk their lives everyday.  We must make sure that we give our troops the resources they need both in the field and at home when they return.”

The $459.3 billion Defense Authorization bill passed today does not include any funding for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan in Fiscal Year 2008.  The legislation increases funding for U.S. troops – including a 3.5 percent pay raise for all military personnel and $23.5 billion to increase health benefits and services.

The legislation includes a provision Klobuchar co-sponsored, along with all of her Democratic freshmen colleagues, establishing an independent commission to increase transparency and accountability in wartime contracting. The commission will also address systematic problems with defense contracting by studying and investigating the impact of the government’s growing reliance on civilian contractors to perform wartime functions – modeled after the Truman Commission. 

Earlier this year, the top three auditors overseeing reconstruction projects in Iraq reported that of the $57 billion awarded in contracts they investigated, approximately $10 billion has been wasted.  This means almost one in six federal tax dollars sent to rebuild Iraq has been wasted.

“We’re tired of seeing contractors wastefully spend hard-working American taxpayer dollars while the Administration sits idly by – enough is enough,” said Klobuchar. “This new Commission will make sure contractors are held accountable for waste, fraud, and abuse.”

Klobuchar was successful in including two amendments that will benefit U.S. soldiers.  The first amendment would create a national reintegration plan, based on the highly successful Beyond the Yellow Ribbon program of the Minnesota National Guard. This national program will provide informational events and activities to assist National Guard and Reserve soldiers, families, and community members through all phases of their deployment cycle including pre and post deployment. The program includes family and marriage counseling, financial planning and education, small business planning, community outreach, and healthcare and veterans benefits education. 

Recently, Senators Klobuchar and Coleman also secured $4.4 million to the Defense Appropriation bill to fund the Minnesota Beyond the Yellow program through FY2008.  That bill awards the Guard $4.4 million for its revolutionary reintegration program to assist soldiers through all phases of the deployment cycle.

The second amendment addresses concerns raised by Minnesota National Guard members in Iraq who are Certified Nurse Aides in the private sector and are currently at risk of losing their certifications due to extended active duty tours. The amendment would allow nursing aides an additional 24 months after returning from active duty service to perform nurse or nurse-related services before expiration of their certifications.

The bill now will now go to a conference committee with the House passed version.

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