Inputs courtesy of Jim Lokovic
House to Take up NDAA Tomorrow--Bills Considered Under Suspension Today. “Suspension of the Rules” is a procedure used to take up and, usually, quickly pass non-controversial bills. Four bills will be taken up under suspension in the House today: H.R. 1407, the “Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2011;” H.R. 1627, to provide for certain requirements for the placement of monuments in Arlington National Cemetery;” H.R. 1383, the “Restoring GI Bill Fairness Act of 2011;” and H.R. 1657, a bill to revise the enforcement penalties for misrepresentation of a business concern as a small business concern owned and controlled by veterans or as a small business concern owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans.” Defense Bill debate will begin tomorrow when the full House will take up H.R. 1540, the House Armed Services Committee’s markup of the FY 2012 NDAA. Debate is expected to continue until Thursday when a vote is expected. Also tomorrow, the House Appropriations Committee will hold a markup on the 2012 Military and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill. On Wednesday, the House Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee will hold a hearing titled “Arlington National Cemetery: An Update from the New Administration,” highlighting corrective measures taken to correct the many problems at that national cemetery.
MILCON/VA Construction--Earlier this week the House Committee on Appropriations completed its work on the fiscal year 2012 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill (MILCON/VA). This bill funds the construction of DoD hospitals and clinics, schools and family housing, providing military personnel with the resources to effectively advance US missions here and abroad. It also protects the health and well-being of our veterans, funding medical care, disability benefits, and education benefits by providing the necessary funding for these important benefits and programs.
The measure approved on Tuesday provides $72.5 billion in discretionary funding; $615 million below last year’s level and $1.2 billion below the President’s fiscal year 2012 request. Some specific examples of funding amounts recommended by the Committee were as follows:
- ??$1.1 billion for construction of 16 DoD hospitals and clinics
- $1.3 billion for National Guard and Reserve Component construction
- $373 million for new construction of family housing
- $483 million for 15 DoD schools located in the U.S. and oversea
- $127.8 billion in discretionary and mandatory funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs in FY 2012
Memorial Day--Monday, May 30 is Memorial Day and our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of the men and women in uniform who sacrificed their lives so we may enjoy the freedoms we have today. Congress in 2000 established “The National Moment of Remembrance Act” which encourages all Americans to pause wherever they might be at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day to observe a moment of silence in remembrance of those who died serving their country. We hope each of you will join us in this simple but important recognition of our nation’s fallen heroes.