On May 14, the House Armed Services Committee approved, 58-2, the FY2004 defense authorization bill (H.R. 1588). H.R. 1588 would authorize $400.5 billion in military spending for FY2004.
Under the measure, $775.6 million would be provided for the construction and improvement of military family housing units in FY2004, the same amount requested by the President. In FY2003, Congress allocated $676.7 million. Additionally, $20.3 million is allocated for child development centers, $16.7 million more than the President’s request. The funding will enable the operation of an additional four centers. Last year, Congress allocated $17.6 million.
Additionally, H.R. 1588 would provide $1.69 billion in FY2004 for the Department of Defense (DoD) dependent education system. The committee recommends that $35 million be provided in FY2004 for the Department of Education’s Impact Aid program which “provides funds to school districts nationwide that educate approximately 600,000 military children.”
The bill also would require the Secretary of Defense to establish a civilian and military task force to “more effectively address sexual harassment and violence at the U.S. Military and Naval Academies.” The task force would be required to report their findings to the Secretary along with recommendations to improve efforts to reduce the harassment. These efforts would include victim’s safety programs, offender accountability, sexual harassment prevention, and standard guidelines for training personnel at the academies.
In an effort to eliminate domestic violence in the military, the committee recommends that travel and transportation allowances be made for dependents who are victims of domestic violence and are relocating for personal safety, and transitional compensation be made to victims for three years after the sentencing of a domestic violence offender. Additionally, the Secretary of Defense is asked to conduct multidisciplinary fatality reviews for each domestic violence or child fatality.
H.R. 1588 would maintain current law with respect to abortion policy. Under current law, the DoD covers abortions in domestic and military facilities only in cases where the life of the pregnant woman is endangered. In cases of rape and incest, women must prove that they have been the victim of rape or incest. If they can prove this, then they may obtain abortion services with their own funds. Servicewomen who are seeking abortion services under other circumstances must pay for those services at a non-military facility.
