Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that appropriates funds for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2015.

Highlights:

• Appropriates certain funds for Armed Forces overseas contingency operations, including, but not limited to, the following (Secs. 1501-1505):
• $64.04 billion for operations and maintenance expenses;
• $6.18 billion for procurement accounts for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and other activities;
• $7.14 billion for military personnel; and
• $1.45 billion for other authorizations including the Defense Health Program.

• Prohibits the funds appropriated by this bill from being used to construct or modify a facility in the United States to house any individual detained at Guantanamo Bay beginning October 1, 2009 between the date of the enactment of this bill and December 31, 2015, unless authorized by Congress (Sec. 1032). 

• Prohibits the expenditure of more than 50 percent of the funds authorized in this bill until the Secretary of Defense obligates funds for the refueling and overhaul of the U.S.S. George Washington (Sec. 1024).

• Appropriates $635 million to the Air Force for maintaining, operating, and upgrading the A-10 aircraft fleet (Sec. 1503).

• Prohibits the funds appropriated by this bill from being used for retiring, preparing to retire, or placing in storage a U-2 aircraft (Sec. 133).

• Prohibits the funds appropriated by this bill from being used for retiring, inactivating, or placing in storage a cruiser or a dock landing ship (Sec. 1026).

• Extends the date that the payment of a bonus, special pay, or incentive pay is authorized for an individual who is a member of the Armed Forces or in a reserve component of the Armed Forces from December 31, 2014 to December 31, 2015 (Secs. 611-615).  

• Extends the date that an increase in the basic allowance for housing an individual in the uniformed service is authorized from December 31, 2014 to December 31, 2015 (Sec. 601). 

• Requires the basic pay for a commissioned officer in the uniformed services in Pay Grades O-7 through O-10 for calendar year 2015 to be determined by using the rate of pay for Level II of the Executive Schedule for 2014 (Sec. 602).

• Prohibits the funds appropriated by this bill from being used for the implementation of the “New START Treaty” until the Secretary of Defense certifies the following information to certain congressional committees (Secs. 1221 & 1230A):
• The Russian Federation Armed Forces are no longer occupying Ukrainian territory without authorization;
• The Russian Federation is respecting the sovereignty of all Ukrainian territory; 
• The Russian Federation is in compliance with the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE Treaty) and the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty); and
• The Russian Federation has not sold the Club-K land attack cruise missile system to a foreign country or person during fiscal year 2014.

• Defines “New START Treaty” as the treaty signed on April 8, 2010 between the United States of America and Russia on measures for the reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms (Sec. 1230A).

• Specifies that the provisions of this bill do not authorize an additional round of base realignment and closure activities (Sec. 2711). 

• Requires the president to submit a report to Congress, no later than 30 days after the enactment date of this bill, that includes certain information, but not limited to, the following information (Sec. 1251):
• The identity and location of the individuals who planned, authorized, or committed the attack against United States facilities in Benghazi, Libya on September 11, 2012; and
• The description of all actions taken to kill or capture such individuals.

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text