Appropriations for FY2000: Military Construction (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Revised Aug. 23, 1999 |
| Report Number |
RL30210 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Mary T. Tyszkiewicz, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
-
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Summary:
The military construction (MilCon) appropriations bill finances (1) military construction projects
in
the United States and overseas; (2) military family housing operations and construction; (3) U.S.
Contributions to the NATO Security Investment Program; and (4) most base realignment and closure
costs.
This paper reviews the appropriations and authorization process for military construction. The
congressional debate perennially centers on the adequacy of the President's budget for military
construction needs and the necessity for congressional add-ons, especially for Guard and Reserve
projects. In recent years, Congress has pointed out that the Pentagon has not funded nor planned
adequately for military construction.
The Administration has asked the Congress to approve an unusual funding mechanism for the
FY2000 military construction program, in order to fit its defense budget request within the caps set
on total discretionary spending in the Budget Enforcement Act of 1997. For FY2000, the
Administration has requested budget authority of $5.4 billion, which is only part of the funding
necessary to carry out the proposed projects. The rest of the FY2000 military construction program
would be funded by advance appropriations of $3.1 billion in FY2001. (In this advance
appropriations proposal, Congress would approve the $3.1 billion now for the FY2000 program,
which would be spent and scored in FY2001.) Adding the split FY2000 request with the advance
appropriations request brings the total value of the proposed FY2000 military construction program
to $8.5 billion. This total continues a downward trend from the FY1996 level of $11.2 billion, the
FY1997 level of $9.8 billion, the FY1998 level of $9.3 billion and the FY1999 level of $8.7 billion.
Appropriations and authorization hearings on the FY2000 military construction budget have
highlighted the following issues:
split funding and advance appropriations proposal for the FY2000 military
construction budget request,
long-term planning for the military construction program,
and
implementation of privatization of the military family housing
initiative.
The conference committee for military construction appropriations printed its conference report
( H.Rept. 106-266 ) on July 27, 1999. The conference report agreed to a total $8.4 billion military
construction appropriation, which is $776 million less than current FY1999 funding. The conference
split the difference between the Senate- approved $8.3 billion and House-approved $8.5 billion
amounts. The House passed the conference report on July 29, 1999, by a vote of 412-8. The Senate
passed the conference report on August 3, 1999, by voice vote. The bill became law ( P.L. 106-52 )
on August 17, 1999.
