CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 4200, RONALD W. REAGAN NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2005 -- (House of Representatives - October 08, 2004)
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(Mr. SPRATT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4200 and commend my colleagues, the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), for bringing this conference to a very successful conclusion.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to engage the chairman in a colloquy.
Mr. Speaker, the Conferees' Report in section 3303 contains a provision on the release of ferromanganese from the strategic stockpile, which is critical to steel production in the United States. Section 3303 contains a requirement that to release more than 50,000 tons of ferromanganese, the Secretary of Defense, among other requirements, must certify that the disposal will not cause undue disruption to the usual markets of producers and processors of ferromanganese in the United States. This could be considered a certification about future events regarding markets, and one could question whether the certification of future events is possible.
I ask the chairman if the conferees' intent in the meaning of this provision is that certification in this instance is the Secretary's best judgment about future market conditions and events.
Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. SPRATT. I yield to the gentleman from California.
Mr. HUNTER. Yes, we understand how important ferromanganese is for steel production in the U.S. We certainly do not intend to ask the Secretary to perform the impossible by forecasting the future with absolute certainty. We are just asking for his best judgment.
Mr. SPRATT. I thank the gentleman for that clarification.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4200 and commend my good friends, Chairman HUNTER and Mr. SKELTON, for concluding this conference report.
Everyday our armed forces make great sacrifices to ensure that we are safe, secure, and free. In return, this bill provides a 3.5 percent across-the-board pay raise. It stops short of targeted pay raises for NCOs and warrant officers, which I supported, but it helps bridge the gap with the civilian workforce; makes permanent increases in imminent danger pay from $150 to $225 and family separation pay from $100 to $250 per month (these are initiatives I championed a year ago-I'm glad to see them finally be adopted); provides $10 billion in military construction funds-keeping the Military Housing Privatization Program on track, and eliminating the program's funding ceiling.
The reserve component is being used in an unprecedented way and at an unprecedented rate. The Guard and Reserve make up approximately 40 percent of the force in Iraq, and others are stationed in Afghanistan and other critical locations at home and abroad. More than 173,000 have been mobilized for active duty service. Their service must be matched with meaningful benefits.
This bill provides enhanced TRICARE for reservists. It is not the full measure recommended by the Senate, but it is an improvement over current law. We can and should build on this beginning.
This bill also offers improved tuition assistance benefits.
In addition, this bill ends an injustice to the survivors of military retirees. H.R. 4200 phases out from October 2005 to March 2008 the current offset under the Survivor Benefit Plan, and increases the annuities paid to survivors of military retirees who are 62 years or older.
Recognizing the good efforts of my colleagues, Mr. SKELTON and Ms. TAUSCHER, this bill increases active Army and Marine Corps troop levels by 30,000 and 9,000 respectively. The Pentagon fought us every step of the way on this end-strength increase, but this is the minimum we can do to reduce the stress on our forces and ensure that we can meet military commitments in the future.
This bill also provides $25 billion for the war in Iraq-enough to get through March of next year. We expect another supplemental request early next year of $50 billion-taking the total cost of the Iraq war well over $200 billion.
The bill is not without shortcomings. The President, Senator KERRY and the 9/11 commission all agree that the gravest threat facing the Nation is nuclear terror. H.R. 4200 continues the Administration's pattern of under funding CTR programs. This bill authorizes $10 billion for missile defense, but only $409 million to help combat the gravest threat facing our country. How can we justify spending $10 billion on an unproven system developed to combat a relatively non-existent threat and only spend 4 percent of that amount on consensus greatest threat to the security of the American people.
The Conference Report does impose some welcome disciplines on that ballistic missile defense (BMD) program. The Pentagon's Office of Testing and Evaluation regains an oversight role. It is tasked with devising a realistic test regimen for BMD. In addition, each block of BMD will be subject to Selected Acquisition Report requirements. This means that each block will have baselines for cost, schedule, and performance, against which actual results can be measured. These are steps forward, and steps long overdue in a program of this magnitude.