Senators Warner & Webb Announce Senate Passage of Key Defense Provisions Affecting Northern Virginia

Washington, DC— Senators John W. Warner (R-Va.) and Jim Webb (D-Va.), members of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, announced that the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2009 passed in the Senate today. The bill contains important provisions for Virginia, the defense of our nation, and the welfare of our men and women in uniform and their families.

As a result of provisions supported by both senators, the FY 2009 NDAA will improve military facilities throughout the Commonwealth, continue to support modernization and recapitalization programs, better equip the Virginia National Guard and provide a 3.9 percent pay raise for all uniformed personnel.

Senator Warner said, “If I had to point to one thing in my 40-plus years of public service that has meant the most to me, it is working with and learning from the men and women of the Armed Forces of the United States. I have tried to pay back to this generation and future generations of men and women all of the wonderful things that were done for me. With this being one of the last votes that I will cast in my 30 years in the Senate, I have tried to do the best, and will continue to do the best, on behalf of the men and women of the Armed Forces and their families.”

Senator Webb said, “This bill underscores the vital role Virginia plays in our nation’s defense and meets our responsibility for the proper stewardship of our men and women in uniform while our nation is at war. The bill not only provides funding for important construction and repair projects at military facilities across the Commonwealth, but it also increases military pay by 3.9% and authorizes more than $25 billion for the Defense Health Program.”

“I also want to acknowledge the superb leadership of Senator John Warner, who ensured that this important legislation was not derailed by political gamesmanship,” continued Webb. “There is not a person in the United States military today whose life has not been affected in a very positive way by the career and leadership of John Warner. It has been a constant privilege to work in tandem with him on this, his final defense bill during a distinguished 30-year career in the Senate, and for the past two years in the United States Senate.”

Following is the list of key provisions specific to the Northern Virginia Community:

Military Construction in the Northern Virginia Area

The National Defense Authorization Bill also authorizes the following military construction and Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) funding in line with the Administration’s request:

•  Fort Belvoir
• • Emergency Services Center $7.2 million
• BRAC:
• • Network Operations Center $8.3 million
  • Infrastructure Support, Increment 2 $23 million
  • Infrastructure Support, Increment 2 $48 million
  • Infrastructure Support, Increment 2 $20 million
  • Defense Access Roads, EPG $36 million
  • NGA Headquarters Facility $743.9million
  • Hospital Replacement, Increment 3 $197.8 million
  • Office Complex $274.3 million
• Fort Myer
• • Barracks $14 million
• Quantico
• • Aircraft Maintenance Hangar, Type II $27.75 million
  • Aircraft Parking Apron $36.28 million
  • Infrastructure – Russell Road (Phase 1) $7.45 million
  • Instruction Facility Addition – The Basic School $6.35 million
  • Instruction Facility – The Basic School (Phase 1) $25.2 million
  • Mess Hall – Officer Candidate School $13.75 million
  • Student Quarters – The Basic School (Phase 3) $27.53 million
• BRAC:
• • Collocate MILDEP Invest Agencies (INCR II of II) $213.1 million
  • Pre-trial Detainee Facility $5.57 million
•  Pentagon
• • Athletic Center Phase 2 $6.967 million
  • Pentagon Force Protection Agency Hazardous Materials Facility $16.4 million
  • Raven Rock West Power Plant $15.57 million
• Arlington
• • Arlington Hall Readiness Center Phase 2 $15.5 million
• BRAC:
• • Arlington Hall Armed Forces Reserve Center $80.1 million

Following is the list of other provisions affecting Virginia and Virginia’s military personnel:

Military Construction

• Authorizes $13.6 million for an unfunded requirement for the Fort Eustis Training Support Center, Phase 1.
• Authorizes $5.98 million for an unfunded requirement to construct a new Officer Candidate School administrative headquarters building at Marine Corps Base Quantico.

Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) & Defense Access Roads

• Directs the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Transportation to review current Defense Access Road (DAR) criteria and report to Congress on whether the current DAR process is sufficiently meeting the transportation needs of DoD and local communities.

Shipbuilding

The NDAA fully funds the eight ships requested in the President’s budget request.

• Authorizes $3.9 billion for continued development and construction of the next-generation, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and advanced procurement for the next aircraft carrier in this class.

• Authorizes the Navy to enter into a multiyear contract for the refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) and authorizes $124.5 million for the project.

• Authorizes $2.1 billion to continue construction of Virginia-class submarines and $1.3 billion in advanced procurement funding to begin construction of two submarines per year in 2011, a $79 million increase over the President’s request.

• Authorizes more than $273 million for advanced procurement of a tenth San Antonio-class amphibious ship (LPD 26), which is critical for meeting the Marine Corps’ amphibious lift requirements.

• Directs the Navy to provide for greater competition modernizing Aegis guided-missile destroyers by limiting the funding the Navy can obligate for sole-source contracts until the Secretary of the Navy submits a detailed plan to Congress for implementing open architecture in the Aegis Combat System. The plan must establish future benchmarks to enable the Navy to transition from sole-source contracts to competitive development during the 2010 to 2013 timeframe.

• Requests a comprehensive report on ship maintenance and the fleet’s materiel condition in response to the failure of two major surface combatants to pass inspection and be deemed fit for service.

• Authorizes $2.2 million to continue directed-energy research for naval applications. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Va., is a leader in this research.

Armed Forces

• Accelerates restoration of the readiness of Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines, including tactical air systems, to conduct the full range of their assigned missions.

• Supports the President’s budget request for the Army’s key modernization program, Future Combat Systems, acknowledging that FY09 is a critical year for the program and emphasizing that funding stability provides the Army the best chance of success.

• Increases the amount and quality of testing performed on force-protection equipment, (including body armor, helmets, and vehicle armor) before it is deployed to the field – ensuring soldiers and Marines have the best equipment and protection available.

Personnel

• Authorizes a 3.9 percent pay raise for all military personnel effective January 1, 2009. This is 0.5 percent above the President’s request.

• Authorizes FY2009 active-duty end strengths for the Army and Marine Corps of 532,400 and 194,000, respectively, an increase of 7,000 Soldiers and 5,000 Marines from 2008 authorized levels.

• Authorizes an increase of 3,371 full-time personnel for the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve.   * Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to carry out programs to provide training and education to spouses of active duty military personnel who are pursuing “portable careers.”

• Authorizes more than $25 billion for the Defense Health Program.

• Requires the Secretary of Defense to develop a comprehensive policy on military suicide prevention and authorized a $25,000 maximum retention bonus for uniformed psychologists to improve service member’s access to mental health programs.

• Authorizes the DoD Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) / Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Center of Excellence to conduct pilot programs to improve treatment and care for TBI.

Oversight and Proper Stewardship

• Authorizes more than $24 million for the DoD Inspector General to increase the Inspector General’s ability to conduct investigations and audits to identify potential fraud, waste and abuse.

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