Defense: FY2006 Authorization and Appropriations (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Revised Jan. 20, 2006 |
| Report Number |
RL32924 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Stephen Daggett, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
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Summary:
The House approved conference agreements on the FY2006 defense appropriations (H.R. 2863) and defense authorization (H.R. 1815) bills on December 19, 2005. The Senate approved both measures on December 21, though only after removing from the appropriations bill a provision to allow oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. On December 22, the House approved an enrolling resolution that removed the ANWR provision, clearing the measure for the President. The appropriations bill is also a vehicle for other measures, including reallocation of $29 billion in Hurricane Katrina recovery funds, emergency funding of $3.8 billion for avian flu preparedness, and an across-the-board spending cut of $8.5 billion. The President signed the defense appropriations bill into law on December 30, 2005, P.L. 109-148, and he signed the authorization on January 6, 2006, P.L. 109-163. Key issues resolved by the conference agreements on the defense bills include:
Amount of defense appropriations: The Senate cut $7 billion from the Administration request, and the House trimmed $3 billion. The conference agreement cuts $4.4 billion, and the across-the-board cut trims an additional $4.1 billion from DOD.
Prisoner abuse: The authorization and appropriations conference agreements include Senate provisions regulating DOD interrogation of detainees and prohibiting cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.
Tribunals for prisoners: The authorization and appropriations conference agreements include amended Senate language that establishes military tribunals to review the status of detainees and that permits limited appeals of findings to federal courts.
Exit strategy in Iraq: The House rejected amendments to the authorization and appropriations bills to establish an exit strategy. The Senate approved a measure that requires quarterly reports on conditions for withdrawal and a schedule for achieving such conditions but does not set a timetable. The authorization conference includes an amended version of the Senate measure.
Women in combat: The conference agreement requires 30 days notice to Congress of changes in current regulations.
Additional Iraq funding: The appropriations conference agreement provides $50 billion.
Army and Marine end-strength: The authorization conference adds 10,000 to Army and 1,000 to Marine end-strength in FY2006.
Navy shipbuilding: The House authorization and appropriations bills restructured Navy shipbuilding dramatically and terminated the DD(X) destroyer. The conference agreements do not terminate the DD(X) and require that it be produced at two shipyards.
Reserve health insurance: The Senate authorization allowed all reservists to enroll in the TRICARE health insurance program. The conference agreement limits it to those without private insurance.
New nuclear weapons: The conference agreement on the Energy and Water appropriations bill eliminates Department of Energy funds for the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator.
