HR 5385: Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2007

HR 5385 in plain English: This bill appropriates funds for U.S. military construction projects and veterans affairs programs for fiscal year 2007. It covers construction and family housing for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force, as well as funding for base closures, NATO security investments, and veterans benefits. The bill also rescinds certain previously appropriated military construction funds and sets rules on contracting and facility use.

Stated purpose

To provide funding for military construction projects and the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2007, covering building and maintaining military installations, family housing, and veterans' benefits and services.

Key points

• Provides $2,172,622,000 for Army military construction, $1,238,065,000 for Navy and Marine Corps, and $1,214,885,000 for Air Force construction
• Appropriates $5,237,100,000 for the Department of Defense Base Closure Account 2005
• Provides $38,007,095,000 for veterans benefits and $3,262,006,000 for veterans education and other programs
• Rescinds previously appropriated funds, including $125,800,000 from Army construction and $43,000,000 from Defense-Wide construction
• Requires 30-day advance notice to Congress before military exercises where construction costs are expected to exceed $750,000

Arguments supporters make

• Funding military construction and veterans' services is a basic obligation to those who serve and have served, ensuring they have safe facilities and reliable benefits.
• Requiring advance notice to Congress before major construction contracts and exercises promotes oversight and responsible use of taxpayer money.
• Consolidating military construction and veterans funding into one bill allows for coordinated planning and avoids gaps in essential services.

Arguments opponents make

• Rescinding hundreds of millions of dollars in previously approved military construction funds could delay or cancel projects that bases and personnel were counting on.
• Large, wide-ranging appropriations bills can bundle together priorities that deserve separate debate, making it harder for lawmakers or the public to scrutinize individual spending decisions.
• Provisions extending or modifying oversight offices, such as the Iraq Reconstruction inspector general, may not provide enough time or resources for a thorough final audit of how funds were spent.

Tradeoffs

Providing broad funding for military infrastructure and veteran services requires large federal expenditures, while rescinding prior appropriations may free up some money but could disrupt already-planned projects; tighter congressional notification rules improve oversight but may slow the military's ability to act quickly on construction needs.

Current status in Congress: Passed both chambers.

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