Taking Care of those Who Protect Us

Taking care of those who protect us

Printed in the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

(October 19, 2004)

The brave men and women serving in our armed forces are the best equipped, best trained and the best prepared fighting force in the world. Every day they make great sacrifices and work hard to ensure our nation is safe and more secure. They also are playing a critical role in fighting the global war on terror. And they are winning.

That's why it is only right for Congress to make quality of life improvements for our military men and women and their families. Recently, Congress passed two important defense related bills that will directly affect the men and women serving at Georgia's 13 military installations - including those stationed at Ft. Benning. The annual Department of Defense authorization bill for fiscal year 2005 includes an across-the-board pay raise for our troops, extends active duty special pay and bonuses, makes permanent increases in family separation allowance, and increases hostile fire and imminent danger pay and much more to bolster the quality of life for our soldiers.

The bill also includes an important provision that is a big win for Ft. Benning.

The bill eliminates a measure that would have brought the highly successful military family housing privatization initiative underway at Ft. Benning to an end. This year's defense bill lifts the spending cap for the military's housing privatization initiative, allowing these programs at Fort Benning and other Army installations to continue unabated. I worked hard and in concert with other members of the Senate Appropriations and Armed Services Committees to ensure that this cap was lifted - and I am extremely pleased that we were successful. My colleague in the House of Representatives, Congressman Phil Gingrey, played a key role in raising the importance of this issue with the Members of the House.

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I am pleased Congress was able to make this important fix, because doing so paves the way for nearly $400 million to be used to build 3,667 military family houses for the 5th Brigade, 25th Infantry Division.

By improving housing conditions, we are addressing an important quality of life issue for our uniformed men and women and their families. This has been a priority issue for this Congress and President George W. Bush.

Another important bill, which has already been signed into law by President George W. Bush, provides funds for fiscal year 2005 military construction projects nationwide and recognizes the important contributions our soldiers at Ft. Benning make toward the national security of the United States by delivering key funds to make needed base improvements. Under the bill, Ft. Benning military construction projects will receive $49.56 million for a barracks complex at Kelly Hill, $3.85 million for a hazardous cargo loading apron, $7.1 million for a consolidated health clinic, and $18.36 million for a physical fitness training facility. These projects emphasize the important and growing role Ft. Benning will play in the coming years.

Winning the war on terror and making sure we maintain a strong national defense means taking care of our soldiers and their families. These important bills make great strides to deliver the resources important to the missions of our soldiers and their quality of life.