Warrensburg Daily Star-Journal - McCaskill plugs millions into bill to consolidate facilities at Whiteman

News Article

By Jack Miles

Significant funds are earmarked for Whiteman Air Force Base in the Senate Armed Services Committee's annual defense bill, the National Defense Authorization Act.

The act includes Sen. Claire McCaskill's provision to authorize $29.5 million for a consolidated operations facility at Whiteman. The facility, if the bill receives final approval, would help maintain the installation's leadership in strengthening America's readiness and national security.

"Whiteman and the men and women who serve there are fundamentally important to defending our national security," McCaskill, a senior Armed Services Committee member, said. "These resources will help enhance the operational effectiveness of the base's bomber crews and boost readiness, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this important priority -- for Missouri and the nation--across the finish line."

The provision allows for replacing a collection of temporary facilities dispersed around the base.

The bill will now head to the full Senate for approval.

McCaskill said she would have preferred the committee tackle sequestration directly rather than sidestepping the issue to provide military funding.

"Helping ensure we're constantly working to improve our defense capabilities and strengthen national security at home and abroad is one of my most important priorities here in the Senate," McCaskill said. "The defense bill we've approved today contains a number of critical priorities, from bolstering some of Missouri's essential military installations, to better prevention and accountability for military sexual assault cases. While I'm pleased with the inclusion of these provisions, I'm disappointed the committee chose to use spending gimmicks to provide the military with the funds it needs, rather than tackling the budget caps head-on."

The bill includes several other funding provisions championed by McCaskill…

Super Hornets -- Helped secure procurement of 12 F/A-18 Super Hornets requested by the Navy;

Recruiting scandals -- In the wake of a scheme revealed by McCaskill in which one couple made more than $4 million in referral bonuses to the Army using a bogus website, this amendment repeals the authority for the Recruiting Assistance Program, taking the program entirely off the books, and in the wake of the scandal McCaskill uncovered showing the Army National Guard's sports sponsorships yielded zero recruits, this amendment prohibits the use of funds for sports sponsorships and advertising until the Department of Defense reviews these activities and determines their return on investment;

Military health care -- authorizes TRICARE beneficiaries to seek care from non-military contracted health care providers if they cannot get an appointment within wait time goals, and requires public reporting of wait times at military treatment facilities, a metric not currently available;

Military dogs -- codifies requirement for adoption of military working dogs by former handlers, with lack of a directive resulting in some dogs being given away to people with no connection to the military; and

Military sexual assault -- Codifies into law the National Guard Bureau's Office of Complex Investigations.

Usually at the request of the state adjutant general or governor, the Office of Complex Investigations primarily investigates allegations of sexual assault involving National Guard members not in a Title 10 status where local law enforcement has declined to investigate such allegations.

The legislation, if approved:

* Mandates a GAO Review of National Guard Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Programs. The GAO has been very active in reviewing SAPR programs available to members of the active duty force; however they have not looked at these programs from perspective of the National Guard. GAO will now be required to do a review of the SAPR programs for members of the Army National Guard and Army Reserve.

* Prohibits supervisors from giving less than favorable ratings on performance evaluations to special victims counsels due to the zeal with which they represent their clients.

* Provides that federal laws protecting the privacy of service members and adult military dependents who are victims of sexual assault and file a restricted report overrides state laws requiring mandatory reporting.

* Recommends military leaders to refrain from punishing service members who report a sexual assault for minor collateral misconduct, such as underage drinking, fraternization, and adultery.

Source