Annual Legislative Report
2000 Legislative Report
Keeping our Families Safe & Healthy
Heroin Addiction Blocker. Led enactment of the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000, which was included in the Children's Health Act of 2000. The legislation, authored by Levin, will allow qualified physicians to prescribe, in their private offices, a substance which blocks the craving for heroin. The non-addictive medication, buprenorphine, has been used in France for several years and has had a dramatic effect in reducing heroin-related deaths and crime. Until now, heroin addicts have been able to obtain methadone only by traveling to centralized clinics, often located far from their home or job. Many addicts don't go to such clinics because their visit amounts to an announcement of their addiction. The Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve buprenorphine shortly.
COPS Program. Cosponsored legislation to extend the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program. Since the program's creation, Michigan has received almost $197 million to fund 3,472 officers.
Violence Against Women Act. Cosponsored legislation to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which more than doubles the funding available for programs to end domestic and sexual violence. To date, Michigan has received almost $50 million in VAWA grants.
Expanding Access to After-School Programs. Cosponsored legislation, which became law, to expand both the number and size of Police Athletic League (PAL) chapters. PAL recruits law enforcement and civilian volunteers to lead mentoring, academic and athletic activities during after-school hours. Michigan currently has 11 PAL chapters, which serve more than 44,000 young people.
Heating Assistance for Low-Income Families. Worked with Senate colleagues to maintain funding for the low-income home energy assistance program (LIHEAP) and was successful in getting the President to release over $24 million to Michigan in emergency funds.
Obtained Health Care Coverage for Children. Authored and won Senate approval of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Children's Equity Act, which ensures that dependent children of federal employees who have ignored court orders to provide medical coverage are covered by health insurance.
Gun Safety. Helped lead fight to close the gun show loophole, which allows felons, fugitives or other prohibited persons to purchase guns at gun shows without undergoing background checks. Spoke on the issue of gun-related violence each week the Senate is in session.
Restricting Resale of Military Armor Piercing Ammunition to Civilians. Co-authored and led passage of a provision to prohibit the Army and its contractors from providing surplus armor-piercing ammunition to the public. This ammunition can easily pierce police cars and other law-enforcement vehicles.
Hate Crimes Prevention. Helped lead Senate passage of legislation to strengthen current law as it relates to hate crimes motivated by a victim's race, color, religion and national origin, and expand the definition of hate crimes to include crimes motivated by the victim's sexual orientation, gender or disability. Fought for inclusion of the legislation in the Armed Services Committee conference report.
Promoting Organ and Tissue Donation. Helped secure Senate approval of a law designating Thanksgiving Day 2000 as a day to discuss organ and tissue donation with family members. More than 72,000 Americans are waiting for a healthy organ to replace their failing heart, kidney, liver, lung or pancreas. Additionally, Levin worked closely with the Department of Defense to increase awareness of the Department's organ and tissue donation program. As a result of these efforts, approximately 400,000 military members and their beneficiaries are on record as electing to be organ donors.
Assisting Michigan Hospitals and Health Care Providers. Helped secure passage of the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act (BIPA) of 2000, which is intended to help alleviate the financial burden imposed on hospitals as a result of deep cuts made in the 1997 Balanced Budget Act, which went much further than originally intended. Levin also helped secure funding for renovations to the Detroit Medical Center's women and children's health facility, Saginaw Cooperative Hospitals, Inc., and Trinity Health Systems in Detroit. He also helped secure $737,000 for the rural telehealth and community education network at Central Michigan University, which is aimed at improving access and quality of health care to underserved migrant and rural populations.
Addressing Prescription Drug Costs. Conducted a survey of prescription drug prices in Michigan and Windsor, Canada, and found that seven of the medicines most used by Americans cost an average of 89% more in Michigan. To address the issue of drug prices, Levin introduced the Prescription Drug Price Anti-Discrimination Act which would impose a discriminatory profits tax on drug manufacturers who charge U.S. wholesalers higher prices than they charge to foreign wholesalers. This penalty would go to shore up the Medicare trust fund.
Judicial Nominations. Helped secure Senate confirmation of Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Marianne Olga Battani and Detroit attorney David Lawson for federal judgeships in the United States District Court Eastern District of Michigan. Worked tirelessly but unsuccessfully for confirmation hearings and Senate votes for other Michigan nominees, Judge Helene White and Kathleen McCree Lewis, who were nominated to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Wayne Area Justice Information System. Helped secure $1.5 million for the project, which will integrate criminal justice data systems in Wayne County and improve communications and information sharing between local, State and Federal law enforcement.
Expanding Economic Opportunities for Working Families
Fighting for Fair Trade Practices. As co-chair of the Senate Auto Parts Task Force and the Senate Auto Caucus, Levin led the Senate effort to urge the Administration to negotiate a new and tougher trade agreement with Japan to try to improve the trade balance of autos and auto parts. The current trade agreement between the United States and Japan, the 1995 Framework Agreement on Autos and Auto Parts, will expire at the end of this year and has made little impact in reducing the large U.S. automotive trade deficit with Japan.
Ending Illegal "Dumping" of Imports. Successfully urged the Administration to bring an antidumping case against Chinese apple juice imports that were unfairly harming Michigan and U.S. apple growers. The Commerce Department found that Chinese apple juice was being dumped in the US market and, as a result, imposed antidumping duties on most Chinese concentrate imports, providing immediate relief to the US industry.
Requirement to Consider Labor Standards in Trade Bill. Secured inclusion of a Levin-Moynihan amendment as part of the Trade and Development Act of 2000, the Africa Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) trade bill. It requires the President, when designating a Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTEA) beneficiary country, to consider the extent to which the country respects internationally recognized worker rights such as the right of association, the right to organize and bargain collectively, prohibition on the use of any form of coerced or compulsory labor and a minimum age for the employment of children. It would also allow the President to revoke such benefits if these standards are not being met.
Small Business Innovation Research Program. Helped secure Senate passage of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program for eight years which gives small high technology companies access to federal research and development dollars and, in turn, gives the federal government access to some of the world's most innovative research. Authored provision establishing a volunteer mentoring program, which will match companies which are new to the SBIR program with ones that already know the ropes of the program and the federal procurement process. Volunteer mentors will be matched with high technology small businesses who are new to the program to help increase their chances for success and, ultimately, the commercialization of their research.
Women's Business Centers. Original cosponsor of legislation to increase funding for Women's Business Centers and allow centers to reapply for additional five year grants after their initial funding term expires. The Women's Business Centers program of the Small Business Administration provides funds to organizations which help entrepreneurs start and maintain successful businesses. There are three Women's Business Centers in Michigan: the Women's Initiative for Self-Employment (WISE) in Ann Arbor, the Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women (GROW) in Grand Rapids, and the Detroit Entrepreneurship Institute, Inc (DEO).
Community Development and Venture Capital Act of 1999. Helped secure passage of this legislation intended to stimulate economic development and investment in low-income rural and urban communities through a public-private partnership between the Small Business Administration and community venture capital companies.
Focus: HOPE. Helped secure funding to assist Detroit's Focus: HOPE in its mission to provide education, training and placement in technological and manufacturing fields. In the FY01 Department of Defense Appropriations bill, Levin secured $8 million for the Army's Mobile Parts Hospital, a state of the art project that, when completed, would enable the Army to machine and fashion replacement parts for military systems in the field. Focus: HOPE is building this advanced mobile machining capability. He also helped to secure over $800,000 for the new Information Technology Center at Focus: HOPE.
Technology Training for Math and Science Teachers. Won passage of Levin-authored proposal authorizing $40 million for the National Science Foundation to fund innovative K-12 activities in math and science, including projects that train teachers how to integrate technology into the math and science curriculum. The provision was included in the Competitiveness in the 21st Century Act, which was signed into law on October 17, 2000.
Expanding The Enrichment Channel. Helped secure over $800,000 to expand Detroit Public Television's The Enrichment Channel (TEC) to reach students across the state. The project was devloped by Detroit Public Television in cooperation with Wayne County Regional Education Services Agency and the region's major cultural institutions.
Trade Adjustment Assistance for Copper Range Company Employees. Won Senate passage of a provision in the Miscellaneous Tariff bill which would close a loophole in the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program that denied benefits to employees of the Copper Range Company, formerly the White Pine Company, a copper mine in White Pine, Michigan.
The Automotive Research Center (ARC). Secured $5.5 million to enable the U.S. Army's National Automotive Center in Warren to increase its assistance to the ARC for basic research programs. ARC is a university-based U.S. Army Center of Excellence which creates advanced simulation software, and studies related technologies for military and civilian ground vehicles.
Mott Community College Workforce Development Institute. Helped secure $1.7 million for the project, which will increase permanent employment opportunities in high skill technology industries nationwide for new and existing workers in computer engineering, virtual manufacturing, and modeling and simulation.
Jason Foundation Funding. Helped obtain $2.5 million in funding for Jason Foundation which seeks to increase student aptitude in math and science by using state of the art educational technology to create hands-on learning experiences.
Olympic Education Scholarship Program. Co-authored legislation, which was included in the Higher Education Reauthorization Act, providing $1 million for the Olympic Education Scholarship Program which contributes to the education costs of athletes who train at the four U.S. Olympic Training Centers, including a center in Marquette.
Money Laundering Investigation. Led an investigation, which is ongoing, into the vulnerability of U.S. financial institutions to money laundering. Commissioned a General Accounting Office report showing Citibank and Commercial Bank of San Francisco permitted $1 billion movement of funds through bank accounts with inadequate due diligence.
Michigan Roads & Transport
Updating and Improving Michigan Airports. Helped win Senate approval of $2 million and $75,000, respectively, to replace air traffic control facilities at W. K. Kellogg Airport in Battle Creek and Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport in Kalamazoo; $1 million to upgrade an instrument landing system at Harry Browne Airport in Saginaw; $1.5 million to upgrade an instrument landing system at Wexford County Airport; $500,000 for approach lighting system improvements at MBS International Airport in Saginaw; $500,000 for preparation for navigational aids at Bishop International Airport in Flint; and $2 million for land acquisition at Oakland-Pontiac Airport. Additionally, Levin helped secure the following appropriations: $5.3 million for Cherry Capital Airport; $1.6 million for Detroit Lakes Municipal Airport; $1.2 million for Gerald Ford International Airport; $1 million for Tulip City Airport; and $1 million for Detroit City Airport.
Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles. Helped secure over $142 million for the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV) after funding was severely cut in the House. PNGV is a collaborative research and development partnership between the federal government and auto manufacturers to dramatically improve fuel economy.
Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE). Helped win passage of a provision maintaining the moratorium on increases in CAFE while requiring the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study of the effectiveness of CAFE standards, their impact on motor vehicle safety and their disparate impacts on the U.S. automotive sector.
Military Airport Program Funding. Secured passage of Levin-authored provision in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill which amended the Military Airport Program (MAP) to allow at least one general aviation airport that is a former military airport, closed as a result of the base closure process, to participate in the Military Airport Program (MAP) program. This will allow Oscoda-Wurtsmith airport to be eligible to apply to the MAP program this year.
Funding for Buses, Light Rail and High Speed Rail. Secured $500,000 for a study of light rail system from Detroit Metropolitan Airport to Detroit and $3 million for the development of a high speed rail in Michigan. The latter funds will be used to improve the Detroit-Chicago corridor grade crossings in furtherance of the overall Midwest Regional Railroad Initiative. Levin helped secure funding for buses and bus facilities throughout the state. Cosponsored the High Speed Rail Investment Act which promotes the development of intercity passenger rail within designated high speed rail corridors.
Efficient Energy Sources. Introduced legislation which would provide a tax credit for the purchase of electric, fuel cell and hybrid vehicles. Levin also cosponsored legislation which would provide for new or expanded tax credits for energy-efficient building equipment, energy-saving homes, electricity produced with "clean" energy.
Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) in Southeast Michigan. Secured over $6 million for the ITS Deployment Program for Southeast Michigan which uses modern technology to improve the flow of people and goods in the region.
Improving Highway Bridges. Secured up to $2 million for Wayne State University's Center for Advanced Bridge Engineering. The center is conducting research to develop new nondestructive testing techniques for bridges; to design an optically-based system for easy, cost-effective and reliable assessment of highway bridge conditions; to create advanced composite materials for durable bridge repair; and to explore the use of new composite materials in bridge repair and restoration projects.
Prevention of Traffic Congestion at Canadian Border. Helped win Senate passage of the Immigration and Naturalization Service Data Management Improvement Act of 2000 which aims to prevent massive traffic delays at the Canadian Border.
Improvements to Flint Township Industrial Park. Helped secure $462,500 for road improvements in the Flint Township Industrial Park.
Automobile National Heritage Area (ANHA). Helped secure $338,000 for the Automobile National Heritage Area which will highlight the100 years of automotive history in Michigan. The project will complement the tricentennial celebration of the City of Detroit in 2001.
Traverse City Coast Guard Funding. Helped secure $200,000 in the Department of Transportation appropriations bill to demolish an asbestos-laden former Coast Guard building on land belonging to Traverse City Area Public Schools. The school district had been using the land for soccer fields prior to detecting asbestos on the property.
Protecting the Great Lakes and Michigan's Environment
Lighthouse Preservation. Won Senate passage of legislation authored by Levin and Sen. Frank Murkowski, R-Alaska, which will aid the transfer of historic lighthouses, which are no longer being used for their original purpose, from the government to nonprofit historical organizations. The National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act, which the President signed into law, will establish an expedited Government Services Agency (GSA) process to facilitate lighthouse transfers by helping parties to cut through bureaucratic red tape. The U.S.Coast Guard is the current custodian of Michigan's lighthouses, and has said it will transfer ownership of more than 70 of the 120 lighthouses in Michigan over the next ten years. Levin has been working with the Michigan Lighthouse Project to identify future custodians of the lighthouses who will preserve and care for them and keep them accessible to the public.
Loans for Marina Owners to Deal with Great Lakes Low Water Levels. At Levin's urging, the Small Business Administration agreed to provide loans to small businesses who have been financially hurt by the declining water levels in the Great Lakes. The low water levels have greatly increased the need for dredging of Great Lakes marinas, harbors and navigational channels, which puts a financial strain on small businesses that provide docking or are dependent on docking in the conduct of their businesses.
Cleaning Our Beaches. Helped win passage of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act ("BEACH Bill"). This legislation amends the Clean Water Act to require states to adopt uniform water quality criteria for recreational waters. In recent years, bacteria contamination has forced the closure of numerous Michigan beaches and this legislation would improve the state's water-quality monitoring.
Detroit River Promenade. Secured $1,000,000 for a pedestrian walkway along the Detroit River.
St. Helena Island. Helped win approval of legislation which authorizes the Department of Agriculture to purchase Saint Helena Island for inclusion in the Hiawatha National Forest. The Saint Helena Island National Scenic Area would be open to the public for recreational use as an island scenic area.
Keweenaw National Historic Park. Secured $1.5 million for restoration of the historic C&H Administration Building and $100,000 for the Advisory Commission at Keweenaw National Historic Park and helped secure $410,000 for the Seaman Mineral Museum.
Estuaries and Clean Water Act of 2000. As Co-Chair of the Great Lakes Task Force, worked for the inclusion of the Great Lakes in the Estuaries and Clean Water Act of 2000 which authorizes funding for estuary restoration across the country.
Soil Erosion and Sediment Control. Helped secure $725,000 for the Great Lakes Basin Program for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control. This program is aimed at preventing sedimentation of our harbors.
Great Lakes Fisheries. Helped authorize a $100 million program for Great Lakes Fisheries and Ecosystem Restoration in the Water Resources Development Act of 2000. Helped secure an $800,000 increase to base funding for the U.S. Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center and funds to complete retrofit of the R/V Sturgeon for operation as a fisheries research vessel on Lake Michigan. Helped secure continued level funding at $400,000 for the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Grants Program. Helped secure increased funding for sea lamprey control by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and an additional $800,000 to the Army Corps of Engineers for a new partnership with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission in the construction of sea lamprey control structures such as barriers and traps.
Sewage Overflow Management. Helped win passage of the Wet Weather Water Quality Act of 2000 which authorizes federal grant funding assistance to communities nationwide to help them implement the expensive controls necessary to remediate combined sewer overflows (CSO) and also provides funding for communities to address their Sanitary Sewer overflow problems. This legislation provides $1.5 billion over the next two fiscal years and provides $45 million in demonstration grants for watershed and wet weather demonstration projects.
Water Level Control. Helped obtain $2.1 million for the first year of the International Joint Commission Levels Reference Study for the control of Lake Ontario water levels. Within the increases provided for the International Joint Commission is sufficient funding for the International Joint Commission to begin developing a plan of study for a similar effort on the Lake Superior Water Level Controls which influences the water levels on the middle lakes.
John Glenn Great Lakes Basin Program. Helped secure $100,000 for implementation of the John Glenn Great Lakes Basin Program which includes initiatives addressing numerous current issues on the Great Lakes such as Army Corps reorganization and water diversion.
Great Lakes Fisheries Settlement. Helped secure $2 million in the Interior Appropriations Bill for the Great Lakes Fisheries Settlement, which will help the state of Michigan and five Michigan Indian tribes settle a dispute concerning the allocation of state and tribal fisheries in the Great Lakes.
Sediment Management. Helped restore the FY99 funding level of $500,000 for Sediment Transport Models and Sediment Management Planning. This program allows the Army Corps of Engineers to develop models for tributaries to the Great Lakes which will help direct non-point source pollution control efforts and allow better planning for future sediment management needs.
Great Lakes National Program Office. Helped secure level funding for the Great Lakes National Program Office which coordinates U.S. responsibilities under the bi-national Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Obtained $4.1 million for property acquisition for the park.
North Country National Scenic Trail. Secured an increase in operations funding for the North Country National Scenic Trail. Cosponsored legislation which would allow the federal government to acquire land for our national trails from willing sellers.
Kalamazoo Watershed Revitalization. Won $750,000 for Kalamazoo Watershed Revitalization. The project, which teams the City of Kalamazoo with scientists at Western Michigan University, is aimed at controlling severe pollution in and along the Kalamazoo River.
Detroit Revitalization. Secured $100,000 for the Detroit River master plan to help the City of Detroit develop a revitalization plan.
Houghton Lake Study. Helped secure $75,000 to conduct a comprehensive water management study for Houghton Lake in Michigan. A large amount of the lake's surface has been infested by Eurasian milfoil, damaging fish and wildlife in the lake.
Upper St. Mary's River. Helped secure $3,000,000 for the Upper St. Mary's River for an additional foot of overdraft between Point Louise turn and the locks at Sault Ste. Marie in order to provide for the continued safe transit of commercial deep draft vessels in the channels of the Upper St. Mary's River.
Dredging Assistance. Obtained $250,000 for the Army Corps of Engineers to initiate a feasibility study for the removal of contaminated sediments along the Detroit River. Over 60 sites along the Detroit and Rouge Rivers are being evaluated. An estimated three million cubic yards of sediments are contaminating the Detroit River system, and their removal would improve the ecosystem along this National Heritage River system.
Twelve Towns Drain Retention Facility. Helped secure $800,000 to Oakland County for infrastructure improvements at the Twelve Towns Drain Retention Facility project. Lake St. Clair is an integral part of the Great Lakes shipping channel, serves basic drinking water needs for many of the four million people in Southeast Michigan, and provides a popular recreational resource. During heavy rains, there is an overflow of the 12 Towns waste water treatment plant, which causes sewage water to flow directly into Lake St. Clair.
Shoreline Erosion Protection. Won $40,000 for shoreline erosion protection along the Detroit River and secured $580,000 in emergency stream bank and shoreline erosion protection for the Rouge River. A large slope area on the banks of the river has collapsed and is in need of stabilization and restoration. Helped secure $2,000,000 for research and development for the National Shoreline Erosion Control Development and Demonstration program, which will boost shoreline erosion research in Allegan County.
Mackinaw Replacement. Helped secure funding to build a replacement vessel for the Mackinaw icebreaker and a 3rd buoy tender. One of the Juniper buoy tender vessels will be stationed in Michigan.
Disaster Assistance to Michigan. Helped to secure Federal Emergency Disaster Assistance funding for Detroit to assist in flood cleanup and snow removal. Also obtained $558,000 in hazard mitigation funds for the Michigan Department of State Police Emergency Management Division for a project to lessen the effects of a deep freeze on waterlines in Ishpeming.
Ontonagon Lighthouse Transfer. Secured Senate passage of legislation to transfer the ownership of the Ontonagon Lighthouse from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to the Ontonagon Historical Society.
Helped to Secure the Revitalization of Brownfields. Cosponsored Brownfields Revitalization and Environmental Restoration Act of 2000 which would provide much-needed funding to state and local jurisdictions for the assessment and remediation of brownfield sites; clarify liability for contiguous landowners, prospective purchasers and innocent landowners, and provide greater certainty to developers and parties conducting the cleanup, ensuring that decisions under state programs will not be second-guessed.
Interstate Waste. Cosponsored the Municipal Solid Waste Interstate Transportation and Local Authority Act of 1999, which would give local governments more power to determine whether to accept out-of-state waste.
Supported Recycling Efforts. Cosponsored the Superfund Recycling Equity Act of 1999 which amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to absolve persons (other than owners or operators) who arranged for the recycling of recyclable material from liability for environmental response actions.
Human Health Effects Study. Secured up to $2 million for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to conduct a Human Health Effects Study which will review any human health effects of the consumption of fish contaminated by pollutants.
Belle Isle. Won $100,000 for an Expedited Reconnaissance Study of Belle Isle's shoreline.
Clinton River Spillway. Secured $100,000 to evaluate whether the Clinton River Spillway has a design deficiency requiring remediation. The spillway, which was designed in 1950 to alleviate flooding in the Mt. Clemens and Clinton Township areas, has eroding and collapsing shorelines in need of repair.
Preserving our Agricultural Resources
Fire Blight Aid to Michigan Fruit Growers. Secured $138 million in the Department of Agriculture appropriations bill to provide grants to area fruit and potato growers who have suffered severe losses from a variety of factors, including fire blight. Additionally, Levin encouraged Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman to declare an agricultural disaster in 14 Michigan counties, making Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency farm loans available to eligible producers to help recover losses from heavy storms which swept through the area this year. Levin also secured $350,000 to support research to help protect future crops from fire blight.
Disaster Aid to America's Farmers. Helped win Senate passage of amendment to the Agriculture appropriations bill that would provide direct assistance to all farmers and growers who have suffered losses in a 2000 crop due to a disaster, as declared by the Secretary of Agriculture.
Eradicating Bovine TB in Michigan. Helped win Senate approval of $6 million for efforts to fight bovine tuberculosis (TB) in Michigan in the crop insurance bill, and $850,000 in the Senate Agriculture appropriations bill for the 2001 fiscal year. Levin successfully urged the Secretary of Agriculture to declare an agricultural emergency in Michigan due to bovine TB.
Making Government Work Better
Stopping Unlawful CB Interference. Helped win passage of legislation to give state and local governments the ability to prevent unlawful use of citizen band (CB) radios which disrupts telephone service, televisions, radios and other home electronics. The legislation will enable localities to pass their own ordinances and use their own resources to enforce violations of Federal Communications Commission regulations.
Campaign Finance Reform. With Sens. McCain, Feingold and Lieberman, won Senate passage of a provision that closes a loophole for certain tax exempt organizations under Section 527 of the U.S. tax code.The legislation to reform Section 527, requires such organizations to disclose contributions they receive for the purpose of affecting a federal election. The President signed the bill into law.
Working to Ensure Our National Security
Military Health Care. Helped enact provisions to improve health care benefits by providing lifetime health care for military retirees and their families through the TRICARE program; eliminating deductibles and copayments under TRICARE Prime; and providing a comprehensive pharmacy benefit for military retirees. These changes answer the call of the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff to address shortcomings in the military health care system and honor our commitment to military retriees, and are expected to assist recruiting and retention.
Nuclear Workers. Helped enact relief for Department of Energy workers who were exposed to dangerous radioactive and chemical materials in the course of their work in U.S. nuclear weapons facilities, and now suffer from debilitating illnesses as a result.
Kosovo. Led effort to defeat congressional attempts to require the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Kosovo by a fixed date on the basis of events that are beyond the control of the United States. These proposals would have undermined our successful operations in Kosovo, strengthened the hand of former Yugoslavian President Milosevic, and further damaged the chances for stability in the region.
Arms Control. Led successful effort to fund the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program to continue efforts to combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Helped defeat legislation implying that a National Missile Defense should be deployed immediately, without regard to the system's operational effectiveness and affordability, or the impact it would have on arms control and our overall national security.
Vieques. Helped enact provisions implementing the agreement between the President and the Governor of Puerto Rico regarding the status of training exercises by the Navy and Marine Corps on the island of Vieques, providing the groundwork for the possible resumption of full military training on the island.
Acquisition Reform. Led successful effort to enact a series of provisions to address shortcomings and abuses in the acquisition of computer and communications equipment; require the use of "best practices" in the Pentagon's $50 billion in expenditures for service contracts; provide for electronic notice of contracting opportunities and electronic payment of defense contracts; and make woman-owned businesses eligible for assistance under the Department's mentor-protegee program.
Defense Management Reform. Helped enact provisions to assure the use of competitive practices in the privatization of utility systems on military installations; extend authority for the Pentagon's housing privatization initiative; require tracking of costs and benefits of outsourcing efforts; and require a comprehensive review of public-private competition for the performance of commercial and industrial functions of the Department of Defense.
Counter-terrorism Programs. Helped fund five new National Guard Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Teams to respond to terrorist nuclear, biological, chemical or radiological events in the United States; helped enact a provision requiring the designation of a single individual within the Department of Defense responsible for providing a focused, comprehensive and well-funded policy for combating terrorism.
Western Hemisphere Institute. Helped enact legislation to replace the School of the Americas with a new Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, which would provide a broad curriculum of studies (including mandatory human rights training) to military and civilian leaders of democratic countries in the Western Hemisphere.
Important Michigan Defense Projects. Led effort to ensure funding for military construction projects in Lansing, Augusta, Alpena and Mt. Clemens. Helped secure funding for M1 tank upgrades; the Heavy Assault Bridge; the Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle; the Improved Recovery Vehicle; the Army's Future Combat System; research funds for projects managed by the National Automotive Center in Warren, including development of technologies for the 21st Century Truck Initiative, and of a mobile parts manufacturing capability to reduce Army support costs; and funds to upgrade computers on A-10 aircraft, including those at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Mt. Clemens.
Veterans' Cemetery in Detroit Area. Helped obtain funding for the completion of the VA cemetery master plan in Detroit. Detroit is the largest metropolitan area in the nation without a VA cemetery. The completion of this cemetery will serve the needs of the approximately 927,000 veterans and veterans' families living in Michigan.