May 17, 2012

"I would like to thank Chairman Young for once again producing a thoughtful bill in a bipartisan manner that provides for the needs of US troops at home and abroad.

"I support this bill. The funding and priorities set in this bill are of vital importance to the quality of life, readiness and investments for our Armed Forces.

"The bill supports our troops:

• It provides the requested pay increase of 1.7% and provides requested increases for basic allowance for housing and basic allowance for subsistence;

• The bill includes $270 million, $220 million above the request, to replace inadequate schools owned by local educational authorities or the Department of Education that are located on military installations;

• The bill includes $40 million above the request for Impact Aid funding;

• The bill includes $125 million above the request for Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychological Health;

• The bill includes $20 million above the request for suicide prevention and outreach; and

• The bill includes $1.2 billion in the Defense Health Program for research and development, $545 million above the request. This provides for a number of initiatives including: $120 million for peer-reviewed breast cancer research, $80 million for peer-reviewed prostate cancer research, $5 million for vision research, and $15 million for spinal cord research.

"The bill supports the Guard and Reserve:

• The bill adds $850 million above the request to pause force structure reductions and aircraft retirements proposed by the Air Force that would primarily affect the Air Guard and Reserve; and

• $2 billion is added above the request for the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account.

The bill supports today's equipment needs and develops tomorrow's technology:

• The bill supports the DoD focus on the Asia-Pacific region by robustly funding shipbuilding. This includes advance procurement for an additional Virginia Class attack submarine, and funding for an additional DDG-51 destroyer;

• The bill supports DoD's Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance needs by providing $278 million above the request to retain a fleet of 21 Block 30 Global Hawk UAVs;

• The bill addresses the Navy's strike fighter shortfall by funding additional F-18 Hornets, and providing advance procurement for F-18G electronic attack aircraft.

• The bill provides $181 million above the request for M1A2 Abrams SEP tanks, $140 million above the request for Bradley Fighting Vehicles, $62 million above the request for M88 Recovery Vehicles, and $100 million above the request for HMMWV modernization. This funding provides for Army equipment needs, including those of the Guard and reserve, and helps maintain a stable industrial base;

• The bill includes $250 million above the request for the Rapid Innovation Fund. This will continue the effort started by this Committee in FY 2011 to promote innovative research in defense technologies among small businesses;

• The bill includes $948.7 million for US-Israeli missile defense activities. This is $848 million above the request, and includes $680 million for Iron Dome.

"The bill funds operations in Afghanistan, and includes significant limitations on military operations:

• The bill includes $88.5 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations, $26.6 billion below the FY 2012 enacted level;

• The bill prohibits permanent US bases in Iraq or Afghanistan, and prohibits US control over Iraqi oil resources;

• The bill prohibits the torture of detainees;

• The bill prohibits training foreign military forces if these forces are known to commit gross violations of human rights (this is known as the 'Leahy' language); and

• Language limits reimbursements to Pakistan until the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of State, certifies that Pakistan is working cooperatively with the US against terrorist activity.

"This bill provides essential resources for the Department of Defense. It supports our troops and their families at home and our personnel deployed abroad. I strongly support this bill and I urge you to do so as well."