Posted on 11/13/2003 1:22:27 AM PST by kattracks
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is sending President Bush a $401.3 billion defense bill that provides greater compensation for soldiers past and present.Most Democrats joined Republicans in the 95-3 vote Wednesday for the bill authorizing 2004 defense programs, despite their objections to provisions giving the Pentagon more control over its civilian work force and easing environmental restrictions.
The Pentagon sought changes in how the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act applies to the military, arguing that existing rules impede training exercises. Democrats say the changes could endanger the environment.
"We are spending such (an inordinate) amount of money protecting the suspected habitat of the red-cockaded woodpecker that it's having a very deteriorating effect on our ability to train," said Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla.
The civil service changes will give the Pentagon greater flexibility in hiring, firing and promoting civilian employees. The Pentagon says current rules force it to use military personnel for jobs better suited for civilians. Democrats say the changes go too far in undermining workers' rights.
The bill is $1.5 billion more than the amount request by Bush and about 2.2 percent more than Congress approved last year. It was approved by the House on Friday in a 362-40 vote.
The top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Robert Byrd of West Virginia, opposed the bill. The measure, he said, "transfers vast, unchecked powers to the Defense Department while avoiding any break with the business-as-usual approach to increasing defense spending."
But other Democrats stressed the need to keep the military strong and reward soldiers at a time of war. The bill raises soldiers' salaries by an average of 4.15 percent and extends increases in combat and family separation pay.
It would also partially reverse a policy from the 19th century of reducing disabled veterans' retirement benefits by $1 for every dollar received in disability pay. The change would be phased in over 10 years and mainly help the more seriously disabled — about a quarter-million veterans. It will cost $22 billion.
The measure would also authorize some of the Pentagon's most costly programs, including $9.1 billion for ballistic missile defense, $6.6 billion for the construction of seven new ships, $4.4 billion for developing the Joint Strike Fighter and $3.5 billion for 22 F/A-22 Raptor jet fighters.
In one of the more hotly debated provisions, the bill also allows the Air Force to lease 20 Boeing 767 planes as midair refueling tankers and buy 80 more. Some senators said its original proposal to lease all 100 planes was too expensive.
In addition to Byrd, Sens. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, and James Jeffords, I-Vt., voted against the bill. Two Democrats, both presidential candidates, were absent: John Kerry of Massachusetts and John Edwards of North Carolina.
The bill does not provide the money for military programs. Most of the funding will come from a $368 billion defense appropriations bill signed by Bush on Sept. 30.
Additional funds for military construction projects would be provided under a separate $9.3 billion measure approved by the Senate in a 98-0 vote Wednesday. The House approved the measure last week.
The military construction bill is $1.4 billion below last year's level, but $200 million over Bush's request. Lawmakers added more than 100 projects for military facilities in their home districts that Bush had not requested.
The measure is the fifth of the 13 spending bills for the new budget year that Congress will have completed.
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