On May 12, the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel approved, by voice vote, its portion of the FY2011 Defense Authorization bill (H.R. 5136).
In her opening remarks, Chair Susan Davis (D-CA) noted that the measure includes $50 million for the Impact Aid program, which provides funding for school districts with large numbers of students with parents in the military, and $15 million for school districts affected by base closures and realignments.
In addition, the bill would authorize TRICARE beneficiaries to extend health care coverage to dependent children up to age 26 and establish a pilot program to provide career counseling for military spouses.
Rep. Davis also noted the subcommittee’s commitment to end sexual assault in the military, saying, “Over the past several years, the subcommittee has maintained a focus on sexual assault and harassment, and remains committed to significantly reducing the military’s rate of incidence of both. The mark includes 27 provisions to adopt the full range of recommendations by the Defense Task Force on Sexual Assault in the Military Services. These initiatives improve sexual assault prevention and response by the Department of Defense in the areas of strategic direction, prevention, and training, response to victims, and accountability. The Task Force was a historic examination that changed the landscape of thinking on sexual assault in the military and the package of legislative proposals in the mark is a worthy complement to that effort.”
More details will be available after the full committee considers H.R. 5136.
