This week, the Senate Armed Services Committee completed action on its FY2006 defense authorization bill (as-yet-unnumbered) while the subcommittees of the House Armed Services Committee approved their portions of the bill (H.R. 1815) for full committee consideration next week.
Senate Committee Consideration
On May 12, the Senate Armed Services Committee approved, by voice vote, the FY2006 defense authorization bill. In a joint press release, Chair John Warner (R-VA) stated, “Our forces serving around the world are truly the first line of defense in the security of our homeland, and they deserve our strongest support. This bill provides our men and women in uniform, and their families, the resources and authorities they need to successfully carry out their missions.” Ranking Member Carl Levin (D-MI) agreed: “The bill reported by the Committee will provide much-needed funding for ongoing military operations, continue the modernization of our armed forces, and improve the quality of life for our servicemen and women and their families.”
According to the committee’s press release, the bill would authorize $441.6 billion in budget authority for defense programs in FY2006, a $21 billion increase over last year. The measure also would authorize a pay raise for all uniformed service personnel, increases in housing allowances, and a $70 million increase in child care and family assistance services. The death gratuity for survivors of military personnel and TRICARE benefits for children of survivors also would be increased. Additionally, the bill authorizes “an initiative to better equip the military health care system to identify and treat early signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other mental disorders experienced by soldiers returning from combat.”
Additional details will be available when the bill is considered by the Senate; floor action is currently scheduled for the week of May 23.
House Subcommittee Consideration
The six House Armed Services subcommittees approved their portions of the FY2006 defense authorization bill (H.R. 1815) this week. Further details of the bill will be available upon completion of the full committee’s mark-up on May 18. However, of particular interest to women and their families, H.R. 1815 would amend the Uniform Code of Military Justice to reflect a clearer definition of rape, to abolish the statute of limitations for rape and rape of a child, and to establish stalking as an offense.
On May 11, during its consideration of portions of the defense authorization bill, the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel approved, 9-7, an amendment by subcommittee Chair John McHugh (R-NY) that would restrict women from serving in certain Army combat support or combat service support units. Women now may serve in any capacity, but they are not permitted to remain with a unit that comes within 500 meters of the front lines.
House Armed Services Committee Chair Duncan Hunter (R-CA) defended the amendment, stating in a press release, “The nation should not put women in the front lines of combat. In my judgment, we will cross that line unless we make a policy decision as we design the new Army. Forward Support Companies go into battle. That is why they are labeled ‘forward’ support companies. This in no way forecloses hundreds of defense specialties for women away from the live fire of today’s battle field. The American people have never wanted to have women in combat and this reaffirms that policy.”
In a press statement issued after the mark-up, Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) argued, “This amendment sends a bad message to all who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. As the Army continues to face recruiting and retention issues, this is certainly not the time to be taking more soldiers out of our forward support companies. There has been no support on this issue from [the] Army Chief of Staff or General Cody. I’m deeply concerned by [the] ramifications of this amendment and alarmed by its rushed consideration.”
An amendment by Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA) that would have allowed military facilities overseas to perform privately funded abortions on U.S. servicewomen was rejected by voice vote. Under current law, the Department of Defense 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, 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.
