News from Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo

House Armed Services Committee Unanimously Passes

H.R. 2647 – National Defense Authorization Act for FY2010

Bill Heads to the House Floor for Consideration

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – June 18, 2009 – Washington, D.C. –

Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo today announced that on Wednesday, June 17, 2009, the House Armed Services Committee chaired by Congressman Ike Skelton of Missouri unanimously voted to favorably report H.R. 2647, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (NDAA), to the House of Representatives for its consideration on the floor.  H.R. 2647 authorizes spending and sets policy for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2010.   The House is expected to debate the bill late next week. 

H.R. 2647 authorizes $550.4 billion in budget authority for the Department of Defense (DoD) and the national security programs of the Department of Energy (DoE).  The bill also authorizes $130 billion to support overseas contingency operations during fiscal year 2010.  The bill also continues this Congress’s commitment to improving the quality of life for all servicemembers, in part, by raising their pay by 3.4% – a 0.5% increase over the President’s Budget.  The bill also reaffirms the United States Government’s commitment to the Guam International Agreement through significant military construction funding.

“The military build-up is an investment in the future of Guam and the national defense interests of our country,” Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo said today. “Chairman Ike Skelton has said that this build-up must be done right, and the defense authorization bill for fiscal year 2010 builds upon last year’s provisions that help to get the military build-up right.  In particular, this bill helps DoD better manage the build-up and to find more success with the interagency process.  The bill also ensures that our local small businesses will be able to remain competitive in the federal marketplace as it grows and that we pay our workers a fair wage.  Finally, the special interagency inspector general will help ensure we avoid the occurrence of fraud, waste and abuse.”

“The defense bill also continues our commitment to our citizen Soldiers and Airmen on Guam and across the United States.  I sponsored a provision with Congressman Dave Loebsack of Iowa that requires the Secretary of the Army to report on options for creating a Trainees, Transient, Holdees, and Students account.  We also express the Sense of Congress that DoD should consider an increase in the end strength of the Army National Guard in the Quadrennial Defense Review.  Our Guam Guard has the highest per capita membership of all the state National Guards and I know that they can expand and bring a unique capability to the defense of our country,” said Congresswoman Bordallo.  “I also sponsored a provision that expresses the Congress’s deep concern over the proposed cuts to the Joint Cargo Aircraft program.  We will continue to fight to ensure that Guam receives its Joint Cargo Aircraft.”

A table of the President’s requests and a summary of Congresswoman Bordallo’s requested provisions included in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 by the House Armed Services Committee are listed below.  These provisions are subject to change during debate of the bill on the House floor.

• Realigns management responsibility for the Joint Guam Program Office (JGPO) from the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Installations and Environment to the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy;

• Establishes an Interagency Group of Inspectors General to conduct and supervise audits and investigations regarding programs and operations related to the military build-up on Guam;

• Authorizes $2 million for the University of Guam to conduct a study of renewable and alternative energy options for the military build-up; 

• Extends Davis-Bacon wage protections to all military construction projects on Guam and requires the U.S. Department of Labor to conduct yearly wage surveys on Guam during the period of major construction for the military build-up;

• Funds the procurement of 8 Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) for Fiscal Year 2010 and contains language expressing concern over DoD’s cut to the JCA program and recommends that a minimum of 78 aircraft be procured and current units, including Guam, receive these aircraft;

• Requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report on alcohol and liquor procurement policy for resale at commissaries and exchanges on Guam;

• Suspends A-76 studies for three years until the Administration reviews the process and reports back to Congress;

• Reauthorizes the Sikes Act for an additional five years which provides for cooperation by the Departments of the Interior and Defense with local agencies in planning, developing and maintaining fish and wildlife resources on military reservations throughout the United States (this provision also extends a requirement that DoD manage for invasive species on its installations on Guam);

• Recommends that DoD increase the Army National Guard end strength and review this issue in the upcoming Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR);

• Increases DoD funding support from 60% to 75% for the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program;

• Requires the Secretary of the Army to report to Congress on the feasibility of establishing an Army National Guard Trainees, Transients, Holdees, and Students (TTHS) account;

• Requires the Secretary of the Navy to report to Congress on the rationale for the Guam military build-up acquisition strategy utilizing Multiple Award Construction Contracts (MACC) and on its specific small business goals for Guam contracts, including detailing how small businesses on Guam can bond for certain task orders;

• Requires a report from DoD to Congress on the establishment of additional strategic ports including such designation for Apra Harbor, Guam;

• Requires a report on the implementation guidance for Special Purpose Entities (SPE) as well as expresses a Sense of Congress that utility systems on Guam should be integrated and benefit the entire community;

• Requires an annual report on DoD’s ability to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) goals at all military installations; and

• Requires a report from DoD on the feasibility of extending TRICARE Prime to military retirees residing in the U.S. territories.

Fiscal Year 2010 Military Construction Authorizations

# # #

Contact: Matthew Mateo in Washington, D.C. at 202-225-1188 or Andrew Tenorio at 671-477-4272/4.

matthew.mateo@mail.house.gov  or  andrew.tenorio@mail.house.gov

Close Window