See How Your Politicians Voted
Title: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016
Vote Smart's Synopsis:
Vote to adopt a conference report that authorizes certain appropriations to the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2016.
Highlights:
- Authorizes the State to appropriate $89.2 billion to the overseas contingency operations fund (Secs. 4102, 4202, 4302, 4303, 4402 & 4502).
- Appropriates $300 million to the Secretary of Defense to provide the military and other security forces of the Government of Ukraine with security assistance and intelligence support (Sec. 1250).
- Establishes a Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) that matches member contributions up to an amount that does not exceed 5 percent of a member’s basic pay for a specific pay period for the following individuals (Sec. 632):
- Individuals who enter uniformed services on or after January 1, 2018; or
- Individuals who are current uniformed service members that elect to receive TSP matching contributions.
- Authorizes the voluntary election of lump sum payments of retired pay for those serving in the military for 20 or more years (Sec. 633).
- Amends the basic allowance for military housing to be the difference between the monthly cost of housing and the following percentages of the national average of monthly cost of housing (Sec. 603):
- 1 percent during 2015;
- 2 percent during 2016;
- 3 percent during 2017;
- 4 percent during 2018; and
- 5 percent after 2018.
- Repeals the provision that requires a contracting officer to determine that enough information has been submitted to evaluate the price for a component or a spare part of a major weapon system as “reasonable” in order to classify the component or spare part as a commercial item (Sec. 852).
- Prohibits an individual from being subjected to any interrogation techniques not authorized by and listed in Army Field Manual (Sec. 1045).
- Authorizes Department of Defense personnel to carry “appropriate” firearms while engaged in the performance of official duties on Department of Defense property, grounds, or buildings (Secs. 526 & 2811).
- Specifies that no funds appropriated to a governmental department or agency for fiscal year 2016 shall be used for the transfer or release of individuals detained at the United States Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (Sec. 1031).