Military and Veterans' Issues Update
 

Armed Services Issues Update

Smith Applauds House Passage of the Defense Appropriations Bill

Congressman Adam Smith was pleased to vote for H.R. 3222, The Defense Department Appropriations Act of 2008. The bipartisan bill, which passed the House by a vote of 395 – 13, provides funding for first class weapons and equipment for our troops and provides robust resources to make sure that their families are well taken care of while they carry out their missions.

“I am proud of the work that the U.S House of Representatives did in passing this bipartisan legislation. It sends a strong signal to our troops that the House is willing to do the heavy lifting needed to support them and their families back home,” Adam said.

Specifically, the appropriations bill included:

Keep Congress’ commitment to the troops and their families

· Supporting Military Families: $2.9 billion for programs including childcare centers, education programs and the family advocacy programs.

· Defense Health: An increase of $1.7 billion above 2007 spending. Rejects the President’s proposal to force $1.9 billion in TRICARE fee and premium increases. Invests in improving the Department’s electronic medical records and fostering better coordination between Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs, enhancing preventative medicine programs and military medical research.

· Addresses Guard and Reserve Equipment Shortfalls: $925 million specifically to address equipment shortfalls in order to help forces meet the demands of overseas deployments and respond to natural disasters here at home.

· Military Pay Raise: $2.2 billion to cover the cost of a 3.5% military pay raise.

· Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH): $15 billion to ensure there are no out-pocket expenses for service personnel and support the privatization of housing for military families.

· Army Facilities: $1.252 billion to repair barracks, improve child care facilities, and improve community services, to address the strain put on facilities by changes in force structure, base closures, and a global repositioning of forces all while meeting the demands of war.

Prepares Our Forces to Meet Future Needs

· Training: $7.548 billion, a 13% increase for all home-stationing training, so that our troops are well prepared for any eventual deployment.

· Growing the Force: Supports DoD’s plans to increase the size of the Army and Marine Corps in order to reduce the pressure to extend troop deployments.

· Research, Development, Test and Evaluation: $76.229 billion for basic research, advanced research on and development of weapons systems, and military medical research.

· Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle: $288 million for vehicles to transport Marines from ship to shore.

· F-35 Lightning Joint Strike Fighter: $4.146 billion to continue development of the aircraft.

Increases for Necessary Procurement Funding

· Procurement: $99.6 billion, $18.7 billion or 23% above 2007, the largest increase in the bill.

· Stryker Vehicles, $1.912 billion including outfitting a new 8th Stryker Brigade.

· Navy Shipbuilding, $15.304 billion, to procure 5 additional Navy ships including 2 LPD-17 Amphibious Transport Docs, 1 SSN-774 Attack Submarine, advanced procurement for another attack submarine, 1 CBN – 78 Aircraft Carrier, 1 Littoral Combat Ship as well as continued funding 2 DDG-1000 Guided Missile Destroyers, and 1 LHA-6 Amphibious Assault Ship.

· F-35 Lightning II Aircraft: $2.410 billion for 12 F-35s – 6 Air Force and 6 Marine Corps.

· Blackhawk Helicopters: $770.8 million for 52 Helicopters.

· V-22 Aircraft: $2.213 billion for 26 V-22s including 21 MV-22s for the Marine Corps and 5 CV-22s for the Air Force.

· National Defense Sealift Fund: $1.866 billion, $1.41 billion for 4 T-AKE Auxiliary Dry Cargo/Ammunition Ships.

· F-22s: $3.153 billion for 20 F-22 Raptor aircraft.

· Chemical and Biological Defense Programs: $558.3 million, $41.3 million above 2007.

The bill now heads to the Senate for their consideration.

If you’d like to share your opinion or ask a question about armed services or veterans issues, please contact Roel van der Lugt, Senior Field Representative, at 253.896.3783 or at Roel.vanderLugt@mail.house.gov.

The Honorable Adam Smith
227 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-8901 The Honorable Adam Smith
3600 Port of Tacoma Road, Suite 106
Tacoma, WA 98424
Phone:(253) 896-3775 1-888-SMITH-09

Deputy District Director

www.house.gov/adamsmith