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Staff Contact: Russ Vought (x68581) May 19, 2006

**Appropriations Policy Brief**

**H.R. 5385 --- Military Quality of Life Appropriations Act for FY
2006**

**[Items of Note]{.underline}:**

[]{.mark}

**Veterans Medical Care**: Increases veterans medical care by \$2.6
billion from \$22.7 billion to \$25.4 billion, an increase of 11.5% over
last year. The bill does **NOT** contain the Administration's proposals
to increase co-pays and deductibles. The Committee notes the use of a
higher baseline to better anticipate the funding needs without
triggering the shortfall that occurred in FY 2006.

**Emergency War-Related Spending (Title IV):** Provides \$508 million\*
"in additional funds for military construction accounts for projects
supporting contingency operations related to the global war on
terrorism" (see budget discussion above). Neither the bill nor the
Committee report lists the projects. However, according to a Committee
document, this funding is provided for the following 20 projects (all of
which were requested by the President):

-   \$18.1 million for bachelor enlisted quarters at Camp Pendleton, CA

-   \$8.0 million for a light armored reconnaissance battalion facility
    at Camp Pendleton, CA

-   \$2.0 million for an infantry squad battle course at Camp Roberts,
    CA

-   \$23.8 million for a brigade complex at Fort Stewart, GA

-   \$23.0 million for a combined arms collective training facility at
    Fort Stewart, GA

-   \$1.9 million for a live fire shoot house at Camp Atterbury, IN

-   \$1.6 million for an urban assault course at Camp Atterbury, IN

-   \$3.5 million for a block and brace facility at Blue Grass Depot, KY

-   \$10.0 million for a vehicle maintenance shop at Fort Campbell, KY

-   \$1.7 million for an urban assault course at Fort Devens, MA

-   \$46.0 million for a center wharf expansion (loading platforms) at
    Sunny Point, NC

-   \$49.9 million for "predator various facilities" at Indian Springs,
    NV

-   \$116.3 million for brigade complexes (army modularity) at Fort
    Drum, NY

-   \$16.5 million for a combined arms collective training facility at
    Fort Drum, NY

-   \$28.0 million for a combined arms collective training facility at
    Fort Hood, TX

-   \$102.0 million for a brigade complex (army modularity) at Fort
    Lewis, WA

-   \$7.2 million for a range complex (urban combat training) at Camp
    Hansen, Japan

-   \$3.1 million for shoot houses at Yongpyong, Korea

-   \$28.0 million for aircraft operations and a maintenance hanger in
    Quatar

-   \$16.5 million for a rotary wing hanger in Quatar

> \*CBO scores Title IV as costing \$508 million---slightly higher than
> the sum of the above project's cost (provided by the Committee).

**Contracting Restrictions**: Prohibits funds from being spent on
"cost-plus-a-fixed-fee" construction contracts if they exceed
\$25,000---except for contracts in Alaska. Under cost-plus-fixed-fee
contracts, a contractor is less responsible for the actual costs of
performing the contract because the profit has already been negotiated.

[]{.mark}

**Flag Officer Renovations**: Limits the amount of funding for
renovating a general or flag officers quarters to \$35,000 per year. In
the past, the Committee expressed concern in report language that a
substantial portion of major renovation costs were customer driven or
demanded by officers residing in those quarters (according to a GAO
investigation).

**HIV Prevention**: Provides \$7 billion from the Defense Health Program
for HIV prevention educational activities in connection with U.S.
military training and humanitarian assistance activities conducted
primarily in African nations.

**Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC)**: Prohibits funding for military
construction, land acquisition, or family housing projects on military
installations that have been approved for realignment under the last
round of base closings in 2005 unless: (1) the project would support a
continuing mission or function at the installation, (2) a new mission or
function is planned for the installation, (3) the Secretary certifies
that cost of the project would be less than the cost of canceling such
project, or (4) the project has a multi-agency use and the other agency
will assume ownership of the completed project.

[**Earmarks:**]{.underline}

**Note:** According to the Committee, the total amount of funding for
member projects is \$572 million, which is \$40 million below last
year's House bill level of \$612 million.

On pages 77 through 95, the Committee Report lists its recommendations
for military construction and housing projects by state. The following,
totaling \$476 million, were *not* requested by the Administration:

-   *\$2.0 million for a child care center (Redstone Arsenal, AL)*

-   \$2.3 million for an explosive cargo apron (Redstone Arsenal, AL)

-   \$4.5 million for an "alert quarters and mobility processing
    complex" (Birmingham, AL)

-   \$7.2 million for a "consolidated mission support center"
    (Davis-Monithan AFB, AZ)

-   *\$9.8 million for an education center complex (Little Rock AFB,
    AR)*

-   *\$8.2 million for a child development center (Fort Irwin, CA)*

-   \$7.4 million for a "global weather operation center" expansion
    (Monterey, CA)

-   \$19 million for military operations on an urban terrain facility
    (Twentynine Palms, CA)

-   \$6.8 million for utility upgrades (Fort Carson, CO)

-   \$4.9 million for land acquisition for new complex (Peterson AFB,
    CO)

-   \$3.1 million for "alert crew quarters" (Buckley AFB, CO)

-   \$9.6 million for "waterfront ops. & small craft maintenance
    facility" (New London, CT)

-   \$3.6 million for a waterfront operations facility (Blount Island,
    FL)

-   *\$11 million for child development center (Eglin AFB, FL)*

-   \$6.4 million for "1rst Air Force/AFFOR Center" (Tyndall AFB, FL)

-   \$14.8 million for a regional training institute (Cape Blanding, FL)

-   \$3.0 million for a dock extension (Patrick AFB, FL)

-   \$5.0 million for a combat vehicle warehouse (Albany, GA)

-   \$7.0 million for a consolidated logistics facility (Robins AFB, GA)

-   \$8.7 million for replacing troop training facility (Savannah, GA)

-   \$6.0 million for a naval fire station (Pearl Harbor, HI)

-   \$6.7 million for a special weapons assessment facility (Crane, IN)

-   \$5.6 million for a vehicle maintenance center (Fort Dodge, IA)

-   *\$8.2 million for a child development center (Fort Leavenworth,
    KS)*

-   \$3.8 million for upgrading lamp lighting (McConnell AFB, KS)

-   \$8.1 million for an unmanned aerial vehicle facility (Fort
    Campbell, KS)

-   \$2.5 million for an addition to a readiness center (London, KS)

-   *\$6.1 million for a child care center (Fort Polk, LA)*

-   \$12.4 million for a research acquisition building (Fort Detrick,
    MD)

-   \$8.8 million to replace a fire station/equipment facility (Martin
    State Airport, MD)

-   \$7.0 million for a fire and crash rescue station (Barnes, MA)

-   \$4.2 million for a "US Property and Fiscal Office/Readiness Center"
    (Lansing, MI)

-   \$1.7 million for an urban assault course (Camp Ripley, MN)

-   \$6.4 million for an aerial port facility (St. Paul, MN)

-   \$10.2 million for a facility at Stennis Space Center (MS)

-   \$10.6 million for a vehicle maintenance shop (Fort Leonard Wood,
    MO)

-   *\$3.8 million for an animal clinic/kennel complex (Whitman AFB,
    MO)*

-   *\$5.7 million for a community activity center (Malstrom AFB, MT)*

-   \$5.0 million to replace a vehicle maintenance complex (Reno-Tahoe,
    NV)

-   \$9.9 million for an armament integration facility (Picatinny
    Arsenal, NJ)

-   \$13 million for an operations facility (McGuire AFB, NJ)

-   \$1.8 million for "ARM/DISARM APRON" (Atlantic City National Guard,
    NJ)

-   \$9.4 million for a training range (Fort Drum, NY)

-   \$6.6 million for a defense support facility (Griffiss, NY)

-   \$8.0 million to upgrade facilities (Hancock Field, NY)

-   \$2.8 million for a cargo refueling system (Cherry Point, NC)

-   \$6.9 million for a communications training facility (Fort Bragg,
    NC)

-   \$7.2 million for a communications facility (Rickenbacker AFB, OH)

-   *\$5.7 million for an electrical substation (Tinker AFB, OK)*

-   \$8.0 million for a readiness center (Waynesburg, PA)

-   \$6.0 million for an operations and training facility (Fort
    Indiantown Gap, PA)

-   \$3.4 million for a chemical training facility (Beaufort, SC)

-   *\$9.3 million for "alert airfield pavements" (Shaw AFB, SC)*

-   \$3.0 million for a base water well (Ellsworth AFB, SD)

-   \$12.2 million for an aircraft maintenance facility (Corpus Christi,
    TX)

-   *\$8.2 million for a physical fitness facility (Fort Bliss, TX)*

-   \$18 million for a maintenance hangar (Fort Hood, TX)

-   \$12.6 million for student officer quarters (Laughlin AFB, TX)

-   \$7.0 million for a base operations ramp (Sheppard AFB, TX)

-   *\$6.5 million for a parking garage (Fort Worth Navy Reserve, TX)*

-   \$4.2 million for a deployment staging area (Fort Lee, VA)

-   \$13.3 million for a command headquarters facility (Norfolk, VA)

-   \$3.1 million for a maintenance shop (Winchester, VA)

-   \$4.1 million for an "Ocean Engineering Support Facility" (Kitsap,
    WA)

-   *\$9.7 million for an "indoor washrack" (Whidbey Island, WA)*

-   \$4.3 million for a physiological training facility (Fairchild AFB,
    WA)

-   *\$4.8 million for a multi-purpose building (Camp Dawson, WV)*

In addition, the Committee Report includes the following:

-   \$365,000 for a special operations simulator facility (Yuma, AZ)

-   \$930,000 for a combat pistol qualification course (Fort Benning,
    GA)

-   \$243,0000 for a community dining facility (Dugway, GA)

-   \$945,000 for an electric test drive facility (Philadelphia, PA)

-   \$749,000 for a readiness center expansion (Salem, OR)

-   \$3.7 million to install air conditioning (Twentynine Palms, CA)

[**Funding Summaries:**]{.underline}

*In Thousands*

  -------------------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ----------- ----------- --------- -----------
                             **FY 06      **FY 07      **FY 07      **Cmte Over **Cmte Over **% Over  **% Over
                             Enacted**    Request**    Cmte**       FY06**      Request**   FY06**    Request**

  **Department of Defense**                                                                            

  Military Construction,     1,737,761    2,059,762    1,712,950    -24,811     -346,812    -1.43%    -16.84%
  Army                                                                                                

  Military Construction,     1,386,752    1,162,038    1,155,834    -230,918    -6,204      -16.65%   -0.53%
  Navy                                                                                                

  Military Construction, Air 1,299,157    1,156,148    1,184,856    -114,301    28,708      -8.80%    2.48%
  Force                                                                                               

  Military Construction,     1,023,766    1,208,198    997,377      -26,389     -210,821    -2.58%    -17.45%
  Defense-Wide                                                                                        

  Military Construction,     1,618,494    858,816      999,729      -618,765    140,913     -38.23%   16.41%
  Reserve Components                                                                                  

  NATO Security Investment   174,789      220,985      200,985      26,196      -20,000     14.99%    -9.05%

  Family Housing, Total      4,438,332    4,084,040    3,989,353    -448,979    -94,687     0.00%     -2.32%

  Base Realignment & Closure 1,741,700    5,817,443    5,526,096    3,784,396   -291,347    217.28%   -5.01%

  Chemical Demilitarization  0            130,993      90,993       90,993      -40,000                
  Construction                                                                                        

  Basic Allowance for        13,060,149   13,530,601   13,530,601   470,452     0           3.60%     0.00%
  Housing, Total                                                                                      

  Facilities Sustainment,    7,222,076    6,236,291    6,236,291    -985,785    0           -13.65%   0.00%
  Restoration                                                                                         

  Environmental Restoration  1,390,641    1,403,295    1,418,295    27,654      15,000      1.99%     1.07%

  Defense Health Program     20,340,550   21,025,121   21,025,121   684,571     0           3.37%     0.00%

  Total, Dept of Defense     55,434,167   58,893,731   58,068,481   2,634,314   -825,250    4.75%     -1.40%

  **Department of Veterans                                                                             
  Affairs**                                                                                           

  Compensation and Pensions  33,897,787   38,007,095   38,007,095   4,109,308   0           12.12%    0.00%

  Medical Services           22,772,406   25,512,000   25,412,000   2,639,594   -100,000    11.59%    -0.39%

  Medical Administration     2,858,442    3,177,000    3,277,000    418,558     100,000     14.64%    3.15%

  Medical Facilities         3,297,669    3,569,000    3,594,000    296,331     25,000      8.99%     0.70%

  Medical and Prosthetic     412,000      399,000      412,000      0           13,000      0.00%     3.26%
  Research                                                                                            

  General Operating Expenses 1,410,520    1,480,764    1,480,764    70,244      0           4.98%     0.00%

  National Cemetary          156,447      160,733      160,733      4,286       0           2.74%     0.00%
  Administration                                                                                      

  Inspector General          70,174       69,499       69,499       -675        0           -0.96%    0.00%

  Construction, Major        607,100      399,000      283,670      -323,430    -115,330    -53.27%   -28.90%
  Projects                                                                                            

  Construction, Minor        198,937      198,000      210,000      11,063      12,000      5.56%     6.06%
  Projects                                                                                            

  Grants, Construct State    85,000       85,000       105,000      20,000      20,000      23.53%     
  Extended Facilities                                                                                 

  Grants, Construct State    32,000       32,000       32,000       0           0           0.00%     0.00%
  Veterans Cemeteries                                                                                 

  Total, Dept of Veterans    70,871,913   77,908,797   77,908,811   7,036,898   14          9.93%     0.00%
  Affairs                                                                                             

  **Related Agencies**                                                                                 

  American Battle Monuments  50,986       40,738       41,988       -8,998      1,250       -17.65%   3.07%
  Commission                                                                                          

  U.S. Court of Appeals for  18,607       19,790       19,790       1,183       0           6.36%     0.00%
  Veterans Claims                                                                                     

  Armed Forces Retirement    123,499      54,846       54,846       -68,653     0           -55.59%   0.00%
  Home                                                                                                

  DOD Civil Cemeteries       28,760       26,550       26,550       -2,210      0           -7.68%    0.00%
  Expenses (Army)                                                                                     

  Total, Related Agencies    221,852      141,924      143,174      -78,678     1,,250      -35.46%   0.88%

  **DoD Additional                                                                                     
  Appropriations**                                                                                    

  Army, Military Const.      0            0            379,300                                         
  (contingency ops)                                                                                   

  Navy, Military Const.      0            0            26,037                                          
  (contingency ops)                                                                                   

  Air Force, Military Const. 0            0            49,923       ** **       ** **       ** **     ** **
  (contingency ops)                                                                                   

  Defense-Wide Military      0            0            44,500                                          
  Const (contingency ops)                                                                             

  Army National Guard,       0            0            5,530                                ** **     ** **
  Military Const.                                                                                     
  (contingency ops)                                                                                   

  Army Reserve, Military     0            0            1,713                                           
  Const. (contingency ops)                                                                            
  -------------------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ----------- ----------- --------- -----------