FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Chambliss, Isakson Announce Senate Passage of Defense Authorization Bill  

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., praised final Senate passage of the Fiscal Year 2006 Defense Authorization Bill, which authorizes important funds for weapons systems built or partially built in Georgia and funds for Georgia’s military bases. 

The bill authorizes funding for the Department of Defense (DOD) and the national security programs of the Department of Energy. 

“Georgia’s thirteen military installations play a significant role in the war on terrorism and the national security of the United States,” said Chambliss.  “Countless Georgia citizens make their living building the most cutting edge weapon systems in the world.  I am proud to help ensure these jobs stay in Georgia.”

“Georgia is a big winner in this Defense Authorization bill, thanks in large part to Senator Chambliss’ work on the Committee,” Isakson said. “This legislation sets the priorities for our nation’s military needs and I am proud of the strong commitment it shows to Georgia.”

Chambliss also secured an amendment to the bill that would lower the retirement age for members of the National Guard and Reserve.  Currently, after 20 years of service, these men and women can begin receiving retired pay when they reach age 60.  Chambliss’ amendment reduces the age requirement by 3 months for every 90 days of active service a Reservist performs in support of a contingency operation in a fiscal year, retroactive to September 2001, and sets the minimum age to collected retired pay at 50. 

“This amendment makes Guardsmen and Reservists, currently fighting the war on terror, eligible for earlier retirement pay based on the amount of time they spend activated in support of a contingency operation,” said Chambliss.  “The Senate has demonstrated a strong commitment to our service members and their families by securing this important improving quality of life upgrade for our guardsmen and reservists.”

Funding for GA specific programs includes:

• F/A-22- $3.7 billion for 24 aircraft, the full funding requested in the President’s proposal
• C-130J - restoration of a multi-year contract for 9 Air Force and 4 Marine Corps aircraft based on a Chambliss Amendment to the bill that ensures restored funding for FY06.  The amendment was necessary because despite Secretary Rumsfeld’s recent decision not to terminate the C-130J multi-year contact, the measure ensures by law the contract will move forward.
• Authority to enter into a follow-on C-17 multi-year commitment to buy 42 additional C-17s at Robins Air Force Base
• JSTARS program - $44 million in funds to initiate a re-engineering program for the E-8C Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) aircraft.
• SSGN Conversions- $344 million in funds to convert submarines
• C-5 Avionics Modernization Program - $20 million for modifications, which will replace unreliable and unsupported engine flight instruments and flight system components
• C-130 Maintenance - $51.6 million for C-130 airframe and engine maintenance

Funding for Georgia military construction projects includes:

• $30.3 million – Fort Benning
• $84.6 million - Fort Stewart
• $ 66 million – Fort Gordon
• $6.9 million - Kings Bay
• $7.6 million - Robins Air Force Base
• $7.2 million - Georgia Air National Guard
• $5.8 million- Marine Corps Logistics Base
• $3.9 million- Fort Gillem

Additionally, the bill includes a provision requested by Senator Chambliss authorizing $15 million per year in financial assistance for FY06-08 to communities with a large influx of military dependent students as a result of global rebasing, activating of new units, or BRAC.

The bill also includes:

• A 3.1 percent across-the-board pay raise for all uniformed service personnel
• An increase in housing allowance for service members
• An increase in the prior service Selected Reserve affiliation bonus, and a critical skills retention bonus for members of the Selected Reserve comparable to that for active duty members.
• An increase in the death gratuity payable to survivors of military decedents to $100,000 when the death is incurred under combat-related conditions or in designated combat operations or areas.
• An increase in the period of TRICARE Prime benefits without enrollment fees for the surviving children of members who die while on active duty, from three years after the death of a service member until the child reaches 21 or 23 years of age.
• An expansion of the rapid acquisition authority to ensure that our troops in the field can quickly get needed protective equipment.
• $344.2 million for up-armored high mobility multi-purpose wheeled vehicles (UAH) and wheeled vehicle add-on ballistic protection to provide force protection for soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, an increase of $120.0 million above the requested level.

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