This week, the Senate Armed Services Committee completed action on the FY2007 defense authorization bill (S. 2507) and the House Armed Services Committee approved its version of the legislation (H.R. 5122).
Senate Committee and Subcommittee Consideration
On May 4, the Senate Armed Services Committee approved, by voice vote, the FY2007 defense authorization bill. In a joint press release, Chair John Warner (R-VA) stated, “I am pleased that Committee members have come together once again in a bipartisan way to agree on legislation that will provide the resources to our men and women in uniform, and their families, as they stand guard the world over in some 60 countries and fight the war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our forces are protecting us here at home, and those of us on the Committee have a very sacred and special trust to take care of them, and their families.” Ranking Member Carl Levin (D-MI) concurred: “This bill provides our armed forces the equipment and support they need at a time when they are engaged in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, forward deployed throughout the world, or training at home to hone the skills necessary to carry out whatever missions are assigned to them.”
The committee’s press release states that the bill would authorize $467.7 billion for defense programs in FY2007, a $26.2 billion increase over last year. The committee also approved $50 billion in emergency supplemental funding for FY2007 to support operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the global war on terrorism. The measure would authorize a 2.2 percent pay raise for all military personnel, prohibit increases in TRICARE Prime enrollment fees during FY2007, and direct the comptroller general to carry out a comprehensive study of Department of Defense health care costs and savings proposals.
The six Senate Armed Services subcommittees approved their portions of the FY2007 defense authorization bill (S. 2507) earlier this week. The Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel considered its portion of the legislation on May 2. According to the committee’s press release, a number of measures were approved, including a $10 million authorization for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder pilot projects, a $45 million supplemental education authorization to assist local school districts affected by the assignment of military families, and a three-year pilot program on parent education that would “promote early childhood education for military children affected by military deployment of relocation of military units.”
The subcommittee approved the implementation of a TRICARE Standard enrollment system and a “comprehensive disease and chronic care management program for TRICARE beneficiaries.” Increases in TRICARE Reserve Select premiums were limited by the committee to 2.2 percent in FY2007. The committee also prohibited employers of TRICARE eligible retirees from using financial incentives as a means of encouraging the use of TRICARE instead of the health insurance offered to other employees.
Additional details will be available when the bill is considered by the Senate; the committee has indicated that floor action may begin by the end of May.
House Committee Consideration
On May 3, the House Armed Services Committee approved, 60-1, its version of the FY2007 defense authorization bill (H.R. 5122). The House Armed Services subcommittees marked up their portions of the bill last week (see The Source, 4/28/06).
Indicating his support for “our most valuable assets our military personnel,” Chair Duncan Hunter (R-CA) stated in a press release, “This legislation blocks increases to TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Standard fees and moves towards establishing a comprehensive policy and fiscal basis for sustaining future medical health care benefits. This legislation completes the transition to full coverage for Selected Reserve personnel, and provides for generic and formulary prescriptions through the TRICARE mail order pharmacy at no cost to military beneficiaries.”
Ranking Member Ike Skelton (D-MO) stated, “With this bill, we honor the commitment of our servicemen and women and military retirees. It does not raise health care premiums under TRICARE. But I believe we can do better than the way the Chairman’s mark provides for prescription drug coverage for those under TRICARE. Those who have served should feel reassured that they will not see huge increases in their prescription costs when they buy from the local pharmacy. While I commend the Chairman for working to improve the proposal from the Department of Defense, I hope we can make some further improvements when we consider this issue.”
H.R. 5122 would authorize $512.9 billion for defense programs and Department of Energy national security programs, a $21.3 billion increase over last year. The measure also would authorize an additional $50 billion in supplemental funding for operations in Iraq, Aghanistan, and the global war on terrorism. Under the bill, all members of the armed forces would receive a 2.7 percent across-the-board pay raise, 0.5 percent more than the administration’s FY2007 budget request; $300 million would be authorized to cover the increase.
Despite a Department of Defense (DoD) proposal for higher TRICARE beneficiary cost shares, H.R. 5122 would prohibit the DoD from increasing TRICARE Prime, Standard and TRICARE Reserve Select cost shares until December 31, 2007. The bill would mandate an independent review by a task force, the Government Accountability Office, and the Congressional Budget Office regarding long-term fiscal policies for military health care benefits. The measure would add $735 million to the Defense Health Program to restore the amount cut by the budget request in anticipation of increased beneficiary cost shares.
Under H.R. 5122, TRICARE coverage would be expanded to almost all reservists. Forensic examinations following sexual assaults and domestic violence, plus anesthesia and hospital costs for dental care provided to young children and mentally or physically challenged beneficiaries, would be covered under the bill.
According to the committee’s press release, H.R. 5122 would include “modest share increases” for generic and brand-name pharmaceuticals, while the costs for TRICARE mail order drugs would be reduced to zero. Under the bill, $4.1 billion, $28.5 million less than the administration’s request, would be authorized for family housing operations, maintenance and construction projects.
Additional details will be available when the bill is considered by the House next week. During consideration of the bill, the committee unanimously approved the following amendments en bloc:
FY2007 Appropriations Season BeginsThis week, several House appropriations subcommittees approved spending bills for FY2007. House Appropriations subcommittees approved the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies spending bill on May 3, and the Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs, and the Interior and the Environment spending bills on May 4.
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
On May 3, a House Appropriations subcommittee approved, by voice vote, the FY2006 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered).
The measure would allocate $18.4 billion in discretionary spending for FY2007, $96 million below the FY2006 level and $564 million over the administration’s budget request. It also would provide $76.079 in mandatory spending.
The bill would provide $5.244 billion in FY2007 for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, $40 million above the FY2006 level and $44 million more than the administration’s request.
Child nutrition programs would receive $13.3 billion in FY2007, a $685 million increase over FY2006, but $300 million less than the amount requested by the administration.
The measure would allocate $1.5 billion for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in FY2007, $54 million more than FY2006, but $16 million less than the administration’s request.
As requested by President Bush, the Food Stamp Program would be funded at $37.9 billion in FY2007, $2.8 billion below FY2006. In fiscal year 2007, participation is estimated to decrease by about 1.1 million participants according to the most recent estimates by the administration.
Under the bill, $1.2 billion would be provided for the Food for Peace Program, $85 million more than FY2006 and $5 million above the administration’s request.
The full committee will consider the bill on May 9.
Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs
On May 4, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies approved, by voice vote, the FY2007 Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered).
The measure would allocate $94.7 billion in FY2007, a $9.7 billion increase over FY2006 and $800 million less than the administration’s request.
Under the bill, $4 billion would be allocated for military family housing construction and operations.
The measure also includes several women’s health research programs that were previously under the jurisdiction of the defense subcommittee.
Overall, the defense health program would be increased by $1 billion over FY2006 to a total of $21 billion, the same as the administration’s request.
Additional information will be made available after the full committee considers the bill.
