On September 24, the House agreed to the Senate-passed FY2009 Defense Authorization bill (S. 3001), clearing the measure by a vote of 392-39. The Senate approved S. 3001 on September 17 (see The Source, 9/19/08); the House approved its original version of the legislation on May 22 (see The Source, 5/23/08). The president is expected to sign the bill into law.
In addition to the $612.5 billion authorized by the bill, S. 3001 includes a 3.9 percent pay raise for military personnel (.5 percent higher than the president’s request), $3.2 billion for new family housing, and $25 billion for defense health care programs.
According to the Senate committee report, the bill also would authorize up to 21 days of paternity leave, in addition to any leave to which the service member is entitled, following the birth of a child; encourage the Department of Defense Education Activity to “develop a comprehensive research-based financial literacy curriculum for grades kindergarten through 12”; and authorize the secretary of Defense to “carry out programs to provide training and education to spouses of members of the armed forces on active duty who are pursuing portable careers.”
