Senate Continues Consideration of Defense Authorization Bill

On November 4, after a four-month delay, the Senate resumed consideration of the FY2006 defense authorization bill (S. 1042). Debate on the measure began in July but stalled when the bill was pulled from the floor due to disagreements on amendments (see The Source, 7/22/05). In late October, a compromise enabled debate to resume. The House approved its version of the bill (H.R. 1815) on May 25 (see The Source, 5/27/05).

S. 1042 would authorize $491.6 billion in defense spending, establish stalking as an offense, and authorize $440 million for child care services.

During consideration of the bill, an amendment by Sen. Bill Nelson (R-FL) was approved, 93-5. The amendment would eliminate a dollar-for-dollar reduction of survivor benefits. Current payments received under the Defense Department’s Survivor Benefits Program are reduced by the amount dependents receive from a similar Department of Veterans Affairs program.

The Senate also approved, by unanimous consent, additional amendments, including:

• An amendment by Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) that would establish a uniform Armed Forces parental leave policy;
• An amendment by Sen. Mark Dayton (D-MN) that would provide an additional $60 million for child care services and family assistance centers for members of the Armed Forces and their families;
• An amendment by Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) that would authorize pilot projects to promote literacy among children of members of the Armed Forces;
• An amendment by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) that would establish a task force on mental health within the Department of Defense to improve mental health services provided to members of the Armed Forces;
• An amendment by Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) that would include the services of mental health counselors under TRICARE, the military’s health insurance system;
• An amendment by Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) that would require members of the Armed Forces deployed in combat zones to undergo mental health screenings for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other mental health conditions; and
• An amendment by Sen. John Warner (R-VA) that would provide $10 million for pilot projects on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other mental health conditions.

Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) offered and withdrew an amendment designed to improve the availability of child care services for active duty members of the Armed Forces deployed in Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom, and to support school districts that serve “large numbers or percentages of military dependent children affected by the war in Iraq or Afghanistan, or by other Department of Defense personnel decisions.”