Military construction bill headed to Senate floor

Defying a request by President Bush for less money, the Senate Appropriations Committee followed the lead of its House counterpart and provided $10 billion Thursday for construction of military housing, barracks and other facilities in fiscal year 2005.

The $10 billion was $450 million more than the president asked for and $687 million more than this year's number. Nary a dissent was registered as committee members signed onto the bill (S. 2674), approving it unanimously.

Even as the committee plowed forward with additional money to enhance the quality of life on military bases, some questions were raised about the Defense Department's tardiness in providing Congress with reliable estimates of future costs for new housing and other projects if overseas bases are shut down and troops stationed there, with their families, are brought home.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, chairwoman of the military construction subcommittee, said the Pentagon "is two years overdue" in producing a report for Congress on that matter. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., ranking subcommittee member, noted that the Pentagon is getting $700 million this year for overseas construction projects and still "hasn't announced its military restructuring and base realignment plans" that could radically influence congressional decisions about such projects. "I find it puzzling," she said.

By far the largest bite of the apple in the bill is $5.3 billion worth of construction projects next year, including $4.53 billion for active duty forces, $814 million for what Hutchison called the "chronically underfunded Guard and Reserve" components, $1.02 billion for new barracks, and $188 million for hospitals and medical/dental facilities.

Another $4.2 billion is set aside for family housing, including $1.62 billion to "fully fund family housing construction and improvements." This money would support 18 privately constructed projects and pay for the razing of some 34,500 dilapidated housing units. Another $2.5 billion would go for the operation and maintenance of existing units.

The bill provides $494 million for other purposes, including $166 million for NATO; $246 million for base realignment and closures; $321 million for environmental cleanup programs, and $40 million for general operations and maintenance. Under this account, the Navy is expected to earn $115 million from the sale of surplus properties. And $82 million is provided for tearing down obsolete chemical weapons storage and production facilities.