House Passes MILCON Appropriations
On 28 July, the House passed the Fiscal Year 2011 military construction funding bill. The House bill includes over $1 billion in military construction for the Army National Guard, an increase of $146 million above the President's request. For the Air National Guard, the bill provides $292 million for military construction, an increase of $115 million over the request.
On 15 July, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bill providing military construction appropriations. The bill appropriates $980 million for Army National Guard military construction, an increase of $106 million over the President's request. The bill also provides $337 million for the Air National Guard, an increase of $160 million over the request.
The House bill also includes the Guard and Reserve Initiative for a second consecutive year. The Guard and Reserve Initiative provides $200 million in discretionary funding for the critically unfunded military construction requirements of the National Guard and Reserve Components. Of the total amount, $60 million is directed to the Army National Guard, and $50 million to the Air National Guard. In Fiscal Year 2010, the Army and Air National Guard each received $30 million from the Guard and Reserve Initiative. The Army and Air National Guard each distributed their respective funds to four projects across a total of eight states. These funds helped replace a building that was in danger of falling, replace World War II era facilities, meet the potable water supply needs of a growing force, and stop the erosion of infrastructure.
The Senate is not expected to take up the bill until September. An analysis of the bill can be found here.
House Passes Supplemental, Sends to President
On 27 July, the House passed the Senate version of the Fiscal Year 2010 supplemental funding bill. After the "ping-pong" process, the House agreed to a version of the bill previously passed by the Senate, forgoing the need for Conference Committee. The bill will now go to the President for his siganture.
The bill includes Overseas Contingency Operation funding. Both the Army and Air National Guard Operations and Maintenance Accounts were funded above the requested levels. The Army National Guard Personnel Account was funded at the requested level. The bill provides no funds for the Air National Guard Personnel Account.
An analysis of the bill can be found here.
Committees Work on MILCON Appropriations
House and Senate Appropriators have begun work on the Fiscal Year 2011 funding bills. On 15 July, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bill providing military construction appropriations. The bill appropriates $980 million for Army National Guard military construction, an increase of $106 million over the President's request. The bill also provides $337 million for the Air National Guard, an increase of $160 million over the request.
On 20 July, the House Appropriations Committee also approved a draft Fiscal Year 2011 funding bill. The House bill includes over $1 billion in military construction for the Army National Guard, an increase of $146 million above the President's request. For the Air National Guard, the bill provides $292 million for military construction, an increase of $115 million over the request.
The House bill also includes the Guard and Reserve Initiative for a second consecutive year. The Guard and Reserve Initiative provides $200 million in discretionary funding for the critically unfunded military construction requirements of the National Guard and Reserve Components. Of the total amount, $60 million is directed to the Army National Guard, and $50 million to the Air National Guard. In Fiscal Year 2010, the Army and Air National Guard each received $30 million from the Guard and Reserve Initiative. The Army and Air National Guard each distributed their respective funds to four projects across a total of eight states. These funds helped replace a building that was in danger of falling, replace World War II era facilities, meet the potable water supply needs of a growing force, and stop the erosion of infrastructure.
The full House could take up the measure on 28 July. The Senate is not expected to take up the bill until September. An analysis of the bill can be found here.
NGB-LL Welcomes New Leader
Brigadier General Sandi Dittig is the new Director of hte Legislative Liaison Office at the National Guard Bureau, where she advises the Chief, National Guard Bureau on all matters pertaining to interactions with the United States Congress and the annual authorizations and appropriations in support of National Guard programs, Army, Air, and Joint.
Her previous legislative experience is considerable. In 1998 she was selected to participate in the Army's Congressional Fellowship program as the Military Advisor to Senator Bob Graham of Florida. In 2000 she served in the Secretary of the Army's Office of Legislative Liaison, responsible for the Chemical Demilitarization program. Immediately before her current post, BG Dittig served as the Military Executive to the Chairman of the Reserve Forces Policy Board.
House Passes NDAA while Senate Authorizers Approve Bill
On 28 May, the House passed the Fiscal Year 2011 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill includes the President's Request for 2,520 Army National Guard Non-Dual Status Technicians. The bill also authorizes $700,000,000 in the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account. The bill also increased authorizations for both Army and Air National Guard Military Construction funding. These increased authorizations include $60 million for the Army National Guard and $50 million for the Air National Guard in discretionary military construction funding.
That same day the Senate Armed Services Committee approved their version of the NDAA. The Senate bill does not inlcude the requested authorization of 2,520 Army National Guard Non-Dual Status Technicians and instead authorizes 1,600 Non-Dual Status Technicians. The Senate also requires the Secretary of Defense to deploy 6,000 members of the National Guard under title 32 United States Code to conduct border security activities.
An analysis of the NDAA can be found here.
Congressional Hearings Continue for National Guard
National Guard leaders continue to provide Congress with information on the Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Request. On 12 May, General McKinley, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, and the Directors of the Army and Air National Guard sat on a panel with Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, Denise McCarthy, to discuss personnel programs in front of the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee.
On 27 April, the Directors of the Army and Air National Guard testified at the House Armed Servics Readiness Subcommittee on training and operations funding. During the previous week, representatives from the active-duty and reserve components of the Army and Air Force testified at the Senate Appropriations Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee. Director of the Army National Guard, Major General Raymond Carpenter and Deputy Director of the Air National Guard, Major General Patrick J. Moisio fielded questions on Fiscal Year 2011 National Guard military construction funding. In his opening statement, Mr. Louis Jerome Hansen Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Strategic Infrastructure thanked the committee for their support of the Guard and Reserve Initiative and said, "The funds are being used to address critical requirements." Also on 22 April, Director of the Army National Guard, Major General Raymond Carpenter and Director of the Air National Guard, Lieutenant General Harry Wyatt testified at the House Armed Services Airland Subcommittee on the status of National Guard equipment.
The transcripts from all National Guard hearings can be found here.
National Guard Leaders Spend Busy Week With House Committees
National Guard senior leaders spent the week of April 12th in front of House Committees testifying on the National Guard's Fiscal Year 2011 priorities. On 14 April, General McKinley, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, and the Directors of the Army and Air National Guard presented the National Guard's budget request to the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee. That same day, the Army and Air National Guard senior enlisted advisors accompanied their active-duty counterparts to the House Appropriations Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee to discuss quality of life issues of enlisted soldiers and airmen.
On Thursday, 15 April, the Directors of the Army and Air National Guard testified in front of the House Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee. The Directors discussed the personnel issues related to transitioning to an operational force.
These hearings provide Congress with invaluable information as they look forward toward developing the Fiscal Year 2011 Defense Authorization and Appropriaitons bills. Transcripts from all National Guard hearings can be found here.
(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill) (Released)
Senate Defense Appropriators Hear Testimony from National Guard Leaders
On 24 March, General Craig McKinely, Chief of the National Guard Bureau as well as the Directors of the Army and Air National Guard discussed the FY11 National Guard Budget with Senate Defense Appropriators. National Guard leaders emphasized the importance of Operations and Maintenance funding and National Counter Drug Program funding.
The National Guard press release can be found here and a link to the transcripts and a video can be found here.
(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill) (Released)
President Transmits Budget Request To Congress
On 1 February, the President transmitted the Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Request to Congress. The request includes increases in funding above Fiscal Year 2010 levels for many of the Army and Air National Guard accounts. The request also includes increases in full-time support for both the Army and Air National Guard. As well as increase in funding for the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program.
An analysis of the request can be found here. The full Fiscal Year 2011 Military Construction request and the Fiscal Year 2012 through 2015 Future Years Defense Program of Military Construction can be found here.
Quadrennial Defense Review Released
The Quadrennial Defense Review Report was simultaneously delivered to Congress with the Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Request. The report outlines the future objectives of the Department of Defense. One of those objectives is stengthening support to civil authorities. The report recognizes the importance of the National Guard in this field. "Complementing the evolution of the first CCMRF, the Department (of Defense) also will draw on the existing National Guard forces to build a Homeland Response Force (HRF) in each of the ten Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Regions."
The report also emphasizes rebalancing the force. According to the report "As the operational environment allows, the Department will seek ways to rebalance its reliance on the Reserve Component to ensure the long-term viability of a force that has both strategic and operational capabilities." The report goes on to say that effective use of the Reserve Components "will lower overall personnel and operating costs, better ensure the right mix and availability of equipment, provide more efficient and effective use of the defense assets, and contribute to the sustainability of both the Active and Reserve Components." Accordingly, the report states that the Department will conduct a comprehensive reivew of the role of the Reserve Componets over the upcoming year.