On November 12, the House approved, by voice vote, the conference report for the defense authorization bill (H.R. 4546). The next day, the Senate approved the report, by voice vote, sending it to the President.
H.R. 4546 authorizes $676.6 million in FY2003 for the construction and improvement of military family housing units, $15.9 million more than the President’s request. Also, $17.6 million is allocated for child development centers, $6.9 million more than the President’s request. The funding will enable the operation of an additional four centers.
The final bill authorizes $67 million for the Department of Defense (DoD) to use in carrying out health care programs, projects, and activities. H.R. 4546 also calls for improvements in the administration of TRICARE, the military health care system.
The bill maintains current law with respect to abortion policy. Under that law, the DoD covers abortions in domestic and overseas military facilities only if the life of the pregnant woman is endangered. Military personnel and their dependents serving abroad are prohibited from obtaining privately funded abortions at military facilities except in cases of rape or incest. Additionally, the bill calls on the DoD to examine collaborative civil-military partnership sexual education programs in an effort to reduce the rate of unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections among military personnel. H.R. 4546 also requires the DoD to prepare four separate quadrennial surveys to “identify and assess racial, ethnic, and gender issues and discrimination among members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and the extent (if any) of hate group activity among such members.”
In addition, the final bill requires the DoD to prepare an annual report on the status of women in the armed forces. This report will include an analysis of access to health care, positions open, assignment policies, joint spouse assignments, deployment availability rates, promotion and retention rates, assignments in nontraditional fields, assignments to command positions, selection for service schools, and sexual harassment in the military.
Lastly, the final bill bars American military commanders from requiring U.S. servicewomen stationed in Saudi Arabia to wear the traditional abaya over their uniform or civilian clothes. The bill also prohibits the Pentagon from purchasing abayas for regular use.
