Authorization and Appropriations for FY2003: Defense (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Revised Dec. 6, 2002 |
| Report Number |
RL31305 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Stephen Daggett and Amy Belasco, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
Congress has completed action on the FY2003 defense authorization ( H.R. 4546 ) and
defense appropriations ( H.R. 5010 ) bills. The President signed the FY2003 defense
appropriations act into law on October 23 ( P.L. 107-248 ), and he signed the FY2003 defense
authorization act into law on December 2 ( P.L. 107-314 ). In addition, Congress has approved, and
the President has signed, the military construction appropriations bill ( H.R. 5011 , P.L.
107-249 ). The House and Senate Appropriations Committees did not, however, take up bills to
provide $10 billion that the Administration requested as a contingency fund for costs of
counter-terrorism operations in FY2003.
The conference agreement on the defense appropriations bill establishes final funding levels
for key defense programs, and it resolves a number of matters that were at issue during the year. As
the Administration requested, the bill eliminates funds for development of the Crusader artillery
system and instead provides increased funding for other Army indirect fire programs. Conferees
added funds to develop an alternative tube artillery system to be deployed by 2008. Earlier, the
conference report on the FY2002 supplemental appropriations bill ( H.R. 4775 , P.L.
107-206 ) directed the Army to enter into a follow-on contract to use Crusader technology in
developing such a system.
Conferees on the defense authorization bill reached agreement on several contentious issues,
though some may recur next year. The key issue, which held up the conference agreement until after
the mid-term elections, was whether to permit concurrent receipt of military retired pay and veteran's
disability benefits. The Senate authorization bill included a provision to allow immediate, full
concurrent receipt, while the House bill phased in a program to allow concurrent receipt for those
with 60% or greater disabilities. The White House threatened to veto a bill that included either
provision. The conference agreement provides a new benefit, paid by the Defense Department, to
military retirees who have a disability determined to be caused by a combat or combat-related injury.
The conference agreement on the defense authorization also resolved a number of other issues.
The agreement includes amended versions of Senate provisions tightening oversight of missile
defense programs; it drops a House provision concerning application of the Endangered Species Act
to defense facilities, but includes a provision concerning the Migratory Bird Treaty Act; it prohibits
FY2003 funds from being used to develop nuclear armed interceptors for missile defense; it provides
funds for developing a nuclear-earth penetrator warhead, but only after the Defense Department
submits a report on the project that includes a review of non-nuclear alternatives; and it drops a
Senate provision permitting service members to have access to abortions at military facilities
overseas.
