LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
APPROPRIATIONS NEEDED IN SUPPORT OF THE NAVAL RESERVE
Testimony to the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Defense, May 3, 2000.
"Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee: On behalf of the Naval Reserve Association, and the Naval Enlisted Reserve Association, we would like to thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony. Combined, the NRA and NERA have 37,000 members. They are representative of the 89,000 Selected Reservists, the 4,500 non-pay Drilling Reservists, and the 91,000 Individual Ready Reservists, as well as the Retired Reserve community. Collectively, we thank you for your support of the Navy and Naval Reserve in the past.
"The Post Cold War era has brought a period of disorderly agitation where petty despots are no longer contained by super power rivals. The United States, the visible survivor, has been challenged by tempestuous tyrants who wanted to conquer feelings of impotence.
"As confrontation became crisis, the United States Navy has been called upon as the first choice in response by a number of Commanders in Chief. With a forward-deployed arsenal, which includes the Marine Corps, its own Air Force, and precision cruise missiles, the Navy provides the option to project a military power or a political influence into areas of concern.
"Since the end of the Cold War, the Navy, like other services has gone through subsequent downsizing. The vision of a 300-ship fleet is insufficient to meet the existent demands being asked of the Navy. Fleets are faced with longer deployments, higher OPTEMPO, and postponed maintenance. When joint air support was needed over Kosovo and Northern Iraq, aircraft carrier coverage of the West Pacific was gapped for 98 days. In April of this year, 151 ships (48%) in our fleet were underway, with 71% of those vessels being deployed overseas.
"The Navy CINCs freely admit that they can no longer do their mission without the Naval Reserve. The Naval Reserve has actively participated in the four Presidential Call-ups. Reservists are deployed to Europe, Asia, South America, and have also played a key role in helping to resolve Vieques, PR. Within the prescribed budget, the Fleet CINCs could only be provided with 14% of the mandays that they requested in support from the Naval Reserve.
"In addition to constrained budget, the cost of Naval Reserve support is going up. Higher demand for personnel by the Fleet has increased the amount of overseas Annual Training. "Overseas A.T. for FY2000 has increased from 20 to 25% of the Annual Training budget. Travel and lodging expenses increased by 12% for the first half of this fiscal year. P-3C flight hours have fallen short 1,701 hrs. Twenty-two of thirty USNR/USMCR series aircraft are flying 9.7% more.
"OPTEMPO and PERSTEMPO are impacting recruiting and retention. Congress has been quite generous in funding recruiting and advertising support. But aging equipment is a retention issue too. In addition to other concerns, young men and women are leaving the Fleet because of the material and readiness state of its ships and aircraft.
"Because of forward deployment, battle group independence, and the need for ongoing replenishment, the Navy has unique problems and costs. The Naval Reserve is playing a greater role with some of the solutions. Naval Reserve requirements need to be supported, as should those of the Navy as a whole."
A listing of unfunded equipment was provided to the Committee, which included the Chief of Naval Reserves twenty items required for modernization. In addition readiness shortfalls were detailed; including unfunded training, travel and maintenance requirements for both FY00 and FY01. A breakout of these details was published in our April 2000 Edition of NRA News, Volume 47, No. 4.
STATUS OF FY 2001 LEGISLATION
At the time of publication deadline for this magazine, the National Defense Authorization Bill FY 2001 had been passed by the House, 353 to 63 votes. H.R. 4205 authorizes $309.9 billion in new budget authority for the country's defense activities in FY 2001, $4.5 billion more than the President's request and approximately $21.1 billion more than last year's defense authorization. The Committee was able to fund approximately $4.4 billion of the critical requirements not funded by the president's request identified by the service chiefs and defense agencies.
The Senate Committee Authorization Bill on Armed Services, Bill S.2481 recommends a funding level of $309.8 billion in budget authority, which is $4.5billion above the President's fiscal year 2001 request, and consistent with this year's Concurrent Budget Resolution. This recommended level of funding allows for a 4.4 % increase in real growth for defense from last years' appropriated level of funding.
Markup on National Security/Defense Appropriations has been completed by both the House (not yet numbered) and Senate (S 2593).
Next month's article will detail the Defense Authorization and Appropriation Bills. September's Legislative article will look at the Health Benefits that were included in the DOD Bill for retiree's. As the final Defense Bills will be dependent upon a conference meeting between House and Senate to write common legislation, completed details are not yet available. Legislative updates are sent by e-mail to those NRA members who submit personal e-mail addresses to NRA headquarters.