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Senate Approves FY2007 Defense Authorization

On June 22, the Senate approved, 96-0, the FY2007 defense authorization bill (S. 2766). The House approved its version of the bill (H.R. 5122) on May 11 (see The Source, 3/12/06).

S. 2766 would authorize $467.7 billion overall for FY2007, as well as $50 billion in emergency supplemental funding for FY2007 to support operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the global war on terrorism.

Two minimum wage amendments were offered and defeated; a unanimous consent agreement reached on June 20 stipulated that sixty votes would be needed for passage. Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) offered an amendment to raise the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 two years after the bill’s enactment. Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN), who accused the Democrats of shifting the “debate off to an entirely different issue,” then proposed a second-degree amendment that would have made it a federal crime to transport a minor across a state line to obtain an abortion in circumvention of state laws requiring parental consent or notification. He explained, “I don’t believe this is the appropriate bill on which to be addressing the minimum wage. We should be debating the war on terror and the progress that has been achieved in Iraq and the way we can further that success in the future.” Sen. Kennedy later stated, “I regret it has turned out to be a partisan issue. We have been unable to get our Republican friends to give us an opportunity to vote on an increase in the minimum wage. We are caught in this situation because we cannot get an up-or-down vote on the increase in the minimum wage.” Sen. Frist withdrew his amendment; Sen. Kennedy’s amendment was defeated, 52-46. An amendment by Sen. Michael Enzi (R-WY) to raise the minimum wage from $5.15 to $6.25 eighteen months after the bill’s enactment was defeated, 45-53.

The following amendments were approved en bloc:

  • an amendment by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) that would assist servicemembers returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom and their families in transitioning to civilian life;
  • an amendment by Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) that would expand TRICARE eligibility for members of the Selected Reserve;
  • an amendment by Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and John Warner (R-VA) that would ensure that personnel providing special education services to dependents of servicemembers under TRICARE are properly qualified;
  • an amendment by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) that would improve mental health screening and services for servicemembers;
  • an amendment by Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH) that would expand the Mental Health Self-Assessment Program;
  • an amendment by Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO) that would establish a joint family support assistance program for servicemembers;
  • an amendment by Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-VT) that would establish two programs to expand leave benefits for caregivers for family members of certain military personnel;
  • an amendment by Sen. DeWine that would change the commencement date for a dependent’s annuity under the Survivor Benefit Plan;
  • an amendment by Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and John Kerry (D-MA) that would provide a sunset date for the Small Business Competitive Demonstration Program;
  • an amendment by Sen. Chambliss that would assist with the transition of military dependents from military to civilian schools; and
  • an amendment by Sen. Warner that would authorize $500,000 for the Our Military Kids support program.