National Defense Authorization Act passes House with bipartisan support
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords joined a bipartisan majority in the House today to support a Defense Department spending plan that includes more than $75 million for military construction projects in Southeastern Arizona.
“Military installations in Southeastern Arizona are at the forefront of our nation’s defense,” said Giffords, a member of the House Armed Services Committee. “Passage of the Defense Authorization Act ensures they will get the funds they need to protect and defend our freedoms.”
The National Defense Authorization Act of 2010 passed the House of Representatives this afternoon in a 281 to 146 vote. Similar legislation has already passed the Senate. It now goes to President Obama for his signature.
The spending plan authorizes $550 billion for the Defense Department and national security programs in the Energy Department. It also authorizes $130 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“The federal government’s single most important job is to make sure our military has the resources it needs,” Giffords said. “This legislation achieves that goal and demonstrates our unwavering commitment to our men and women in uniform.”
The bill increases the size of the military by 30,000 Army troops, 8,100 Marines, 14,650 Air Force personnel, and 2,477 Navy sailors in 2010 and authorizes an additional 30,000 Army troops in 2011 and 2012.
The bill also provides a 3.4 percent pay raise for all service members, extends the authority for the Defense Department to offer bonuses and incentive pay, expands TRICARE health coverage to reserve component members and their families for 180 days prior to mobilization, prohibits fee increases on TRICARE inpatient care for one year, and provides $2.2 billion for family housing programs.
Giffords worked to secure $75.2 million for eight essential military construction projects in Southeastern Arizona. Three projects are at Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista, five projects are at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson and one is for the Arizona Air National Guard. The projects are:
Fort Huachuca
• $6,000,000 to construct a new headquarters for the Unmanned Aerial Systems Training Battalion
• $15,000,000 for new facilities for aircraft maintenance, flight operations and unmanned aerial system training
• $6,700,000 to design and construct a fire station
Davis-Monthan
• $4,800,000 for infrastructure improvements to utilities and roads
• $8,700,000 for an operations training facility
• $8,400,000 for a flight simulator facility
• $20,000,000 for a 144-room dormitory
Arizona Air National Guard
• $5,600,000 for new facilities housing the Predator Unit that recently received an Outstanding Unit award from the Air Force.
Giffords was successful in including several provisions into the bill that benefit renewable energy, border security and military preparedness. Among them:
• Prohibiting the Air Force from retiring tactical fighter aircraft until a plan is submitted that adequately mitigates the fighter gap it would create.
• Requiring the Defense Department to report to Congress on its efforts to combat Mexican drug cartel activity.
• Requiring the Defense Department to assess the feasibility of using renewable fuels, including domestically produced algae-based and biomass-derived fuels, as alternative for tactical and non-tactical aviation, maritime and ground transportation fleets including technical, logistical and policy considerations.
• Requiring the Defense Department to procure 25 percent renewable aviation fuel by 2025.
• Requiring the Government Accountability Office to examine all Defense Department expenditures on renewable energy programs.
• Requiring the Defense Department to show a preference for hybrid and electric vehicles when purchasing or leasing non-tactical vehicles.
• Requiring the Army to conduct an analysis of the current requirements for missile systems and plans for developing upgraded, next-generation systems and warheads that meet current and future threats.