United States Senator Jeff Sessions
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From time to time my office distributes press releases and written statements on state and national issues, debate in the Senate, and legislation that I am working on. For your convenience, I post these documents on my site for your review.
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Senate Passes Bipartisan Defense Bill With Key Provisions Authored By Sessions
“Earlier this year, I worked with my colleagues on Armed Services to pass the National Defense Authorization out of committee on a unanimous, bipartisan vote. The defense bill has now been similarly approved by the full Senate and awaits action in conference to be reconciled with the House version before it can be passed by Congress in its final form and sent to the President’s desk.
The Senate-passed bill contains the important provisions for Alabama that we worked on in committee, including strong support for missile defense, the Littoral Combat Ship, Maxwell AFB’s 908th Airlift Wing, and other key aircraft and combat vehicles. It also authorizes a 1.7% pay increase for our troops. This was achieved while keeping the bill within the new discretionary caps—redirecting unwise cuts while maintaining overall budgetary discipline and defending Alabama’s irreplaceable contribution to our nation’s defense.
Alabama has a proud tradition of military service, and our men and women in uniform are among the finest the world has ever known. They embody the courage, character, and dignity of our state.
I was also please that three amendments I offered on the Senate floor were adopted on a bipartisan basis: an amendment to posthumously promote a 19th century Buffalo Soldier from Alabama, a requirement that the Obama Administration develop a missile defense ‘hedging’ strategy in light of its unwise decision to cancel or scale back the proven missile defense technology in Europe, and a requirement that before the President enters into any future security agreements between the U.S. and Afghanistan, such agreements be shared with Congress no less than 30 days in advance.”
BACKGROUND:
Posthumous Promotion For Alabama Buffalo Soldier
Sergeant Paschal Conley was a Buffalo Soldier (a group of African-American U.S. Army regiments formed in the second half of the 19th century) who served for 30 years and fought in the Spanish American War. He was recommended for promotion by Gen. John Pershing, but the recommendation was never acted upon. At the request of Rear Adm. Clyde Marsh, Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs, Sessions inquired with the Army about righting this wrong and posthumously upgrading Conley’s rank to Second Lieutenant. The Secretary of the Army, John McHugh, favorably agreed with this promotion. The Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel Readiness advised Sessions in a letter that legislative relief was required to give the Army the authority to enact this long-overdue promotion.
Requirement For Admin To Present Missile Defense Strategy
In view of the Obama Administration’s plans to shift to an unproven missile defense capability in the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA), Sessions included a provision (Section 233) in last year’s National Defense Authorization Act directing the Department of Defense to submit a report on the effectiveness, need, and ramifications of a hedging strategy for the United States. However, the Defense Department has refused to comply with the law. This amendment reaffirms the need for the Defense Department to comply with law and the will of the people’s representatives, and to help protect the national security interests of the United States. (The adoption of Sessions’ amendment follows the President’s claim that, with respect to missile defense, he would have ‘more flexibility’ after his election.)
Congressional Review For Any Future Security Agreement With Afghanistan
Congress was not consulted regarding either the framework or the substance of the “Enduring Strategic Partnership Agreement Between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan” signed on May 1, 2012. This agreement committed the United States to establishing a long-term Bilateral Security Agreement with Afghanistan. Sessions’ amendment would require the President to submit any such agreement to the appropriate congressional committees 30 days before entering into it. Because the Bilateral Security Agreement is not a treaty, the President would not be required to obtain congressional ratification, but it would at least ensure that agreements reached by the White House that directly impact the security of the United States have a period for full public review and for the people’s representatives in Congress to be heard.
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