DOD Authorization Bill Passes

DOD Authorization Bill Passes

This week the President signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 (H.R. 5122). This legislation is important and necessary for supplying American troops with the equipment and resources needed to protect our nation. This legislation is a comprehensive effort to continuing to support our troops currently deployed and authorize funding to ensure innovative new endeavors to ensure the on-going superiority of our Armed Forces. I voted with a bipartisan majority of my House colleagues to support the National Defense Authorization bill, which passed by a vote of 398 to 23. The highlights of this bill include authorization for measures that will protect our troops, increase troop number authorizations, and a provision that protects the religious freedom of military chaplains.

The Air Force and Navy had written new guidelines that restricted chaplains' prayers and opportunities to discuss their faith with others. Guidelines that restrict religious expression violate the fundamental constitution rights we value as Americans. I am excited that my colleagues and I worked together to support our military chaplains by passing legislation that reinstated the previous, less restrictive guidelines.

Protecting our troops from the threat of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED's) is a very high priority for our military, and is one of the major provisions of this legislation. One way to disarm IED's includes the use of radio signal jamming devices that prevent bombs from being ignited via radio signal. My colleagues and I designated $69 million to purchase individual personnel jammers that can be used to protect small patrols and $40.7 million for vehicle-born jammers. This technology has been proven to be highly effective in preventing roadside bomb causalities protecting the lives our troops fighting for freedom around the world.

The National Defense Authorization Act provides additional resources to protect our troops from IED's via armored vehicles. An increase of $1 billion was authorized to procure additional Humvees that have been found to be much more effective in Iraq and Afghanistan. Funding for Armored Security Vehicles (ASV's) was also authorized at an increase of $83 million. ASV's are all-wheel drive vehicles that include ballistic protection, overhead, landmine, and IED protection that plays an important role in protecting convoys. The procurement of these vehicles is essential to keeping our troops safe while serving overseas.

In addition to armored vehicles, the legislation authorized $800.7 million for enhanced body armor. This type of body armor offers better protection and includes additional components that provide protection from 9 millimeter rounds from a pistol and as well as machine guns like the AK-47. This equipment is a tremendous asset to our Army and Marine Corps soldiers.

This legislation authorized an increase in Army, Marine Corps, and Army National Guard troop numbers. Troop numbers for the Army and Marine Corps would be increased by 35,000 and Army National Guard funding would be increased by $499 million for Guard personnel.

Our nation's Armed Forces will benefit greatly from the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year of 2007. I was pleased to vote for this measure and trust that it will continue to provide necessary resources for our Armed Forces as they fight terrorists overseas so that we do not have to fight them on our homeland.

http://www.house.gov/miketurner/news/columns/10.20.06.shtml