96th Congress > House > Vote 547

Date: 1979-10-26

Result: 300-26

Vote Subject Matter: Foreign and Defense Policy / Defense Policy Budget

Bill number: S428

Description: TO AGREE TO THE CONFERENCE REPORT ON S. 428, DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION. (MOTION PASSED)

Bill summary: (Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 96-546) Department of Defense Authorization Act, 1980 - =Title I: Procurement= - Authorizes appropriations in specified amounts for fiscal year 1980 for use by the armed forces for the procurement of aircraft, missiles, naval vessels, tracked combat vehicles, torpedoes, and other weapons. Earmarks a specified portion of such authorization for the procurement of avionics and cruise missile integration for the B-52 modification program. Stipulates that (...show more) such funding shall only be available on the condition that the Secretary of Defense report to Congress regarding the uncertainties of the effectiveness of the B-52 as a cruise missile carrier during the next decade and the requirements for maintaining the defense penetration capability of the B-52. Authorizes appropriations for the United States' share of the cost of NATO's Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS). Authorizes the Secretary of Defense, during fiscal year 1980, in carrying out the Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding Between the Ministers of Defense of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on the NATO E-3A Cooperative Programme, to waive reimbursement for certain administrative functions performed by personnel other than personnel employed in the United States Air Force Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) program office, as well as any surcharge for administrative services otherwise chargeable. Authorizes the Secretary to assume contingent liability for other specified expenses incurred in connection with such program. =Title II: Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation= - Authorizes appropriations in specified amounts for fiscal year 1980 for use by the armed forces for research, development, test, and evaluation purposes. Provides that $670,000,000 of the Air Force's authorization shall be used exclusively for development of the Multiple Protective Structure (MPS) system and the MX missile. Requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the Congress not later than March 1, 1980, evaluating the MPS's ability to withstand a Soviet attack. Prohibits the expenditure of any funds authorized for the development of the Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) communications system unless the President certifies to the Congress that: (1) the use of funds for such purpose is in the national interest; (2) a site has been selected for the deployment of such system; (3) the President has approved such site; and (4) no other funds authorized by this Act will be used for the full-scale development or construction of another test-bed facility for an ELF communication system. =Title III: Active Forces= - Sets forth the authorized end strength level for active personnel for each of the armed forces for fiscal year 1980. Repeals the provision requiring a separate annual officer grade distribution report, and provides that such information shall be included in the annual end strength and manpower report of the Secretary of Defense. =Title IV: Reserve Forces= - Sets forth the minimum average strength levels for each of the reserve components of the armed forces for fiscal year 1980. Authorizes end strengths within such average strength levels for Reserve component members serving on full-time active duty for the purpose of organizing, administering, recruiting, instructing, or training the Reserve forces. Provides for the proportionate reduction of the Selected Reserve of any Reserve component under specified circumstances. Increases from 50 percent to 100 percent (not to exceed the existing $500 per year maximum) the reimbursement for educational expenses under the Reserve Educational Assistance Program for those enlisting after September 30, 1979. Includes reserve veterinary officers among those reserve officers who may be retained on active status until age 60. Repeals National Guard and Reserve officer's additional pay for administrative functions performed after September 30, 1980. =Title V: Civilian Personnel= - Sets forth the authorized end strength for the various military departments and agencies of the Department of Defense for fiscal year 1980. Directs the Secretary of Defense to allocate such civilian personnel among the military departments and other Department of Defense agencies. Requires the Secretary to report to the Congress within 60 days of enactment of this Act regarding such personnel apportionment. Specifies categories of civilian personnel to be included in calculating such end strengths. Provides for the appropriate adjustment of such end strengths whenever a function, power, duty, or activity is transferred or assigned to a department or agency of the Department. Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to increase such prescribed strength level for civilian personnel by one and one quarter percent where such action is necessary to the national interest. Requires the Secretary to notify the Congress of any such increase. Requires the Secretary to manage manpower resources in a manner that will insure that maintenance, construction, engineering acquisition, and repair activities are provided sufficient civilian manpower to fulfill work requirements for which funds have been appropriated, on a schedule consistent with the requirements of national security and military readiness. =Title VI: Military Training Student Loads= - Sets forth authorized military training student loads for each component of the Armed Forces for fiscal year 1980. Provides that a part of such authorized Army training loads shall be used solely for one station unit training. Provides for the adjustment of such loads consistent with the manpower strengths authorized for the active and reserves forces and civilian personnel by this Act. Requires that such adjustment be apportioned among the various military departments in such manner as the Secretary shall prescribe. =Title VII: Civil Defense= - Authorizes appropriations in specified amounts for fiscal year 1980 to carry out the provisions of the Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950. Amends the Civil Defense Act of 1950 to increase the amounts that may be appropriated for contributions to States for personnel and administrative expenses. =Title VIII: General Provisions= - Amends the Uniform Code of Military Justice to: (1) make any person who voluntarily enlisted in the armed forces subject to such code upon taking the oath of enlistment; and (2) authorize the President to prescribe pretrial, trial, and post-trial procedures, including modes of proof, for cases arising under such code triable in courts-martial, military commissions and other military tribunals, and procedures for courts of inquiry. Exempts certain research and development activities from specified requirements concerning Department of Defense private contracts. Directs the Secretary of Defense to take actions to insure maximum enrollment in the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Entitles members of the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship program to the same stipend as students in the National Health Service Corps Scholarship program. Provides $9,000 annual special pay for military physicians on their initial tour of active-duty. Eliminates the provision allowing enlistees 26 years of age or older to serve less than the six year statutory period. Prohibits (in fiscal year 1980) the conversion of commercial and industrial type functions performed by Department of Defense personnel to private contractors in order to circumvent civilian personnel ceilings. States that such conversions may be permitted if the Secretary of Defense: (1) notifies the Congress of a decision to study a particular conversion; (2) submits an economic impact report to the Congress of a final decision to convert a particular function and supplies related expenditure and cost information. Requires the Secretary to submit a report to the Congress by February 1, 1980, concerning: (1) the extent of such private contracts in fiscal year 1979; and (2) an estimate of such contracts for fiscal year 1980. Authorizes advance payments of the overseas housing allowance. Requires the Secretary of Defense to annually assess and report on the readiness status of NATO military forces to the Senate and House Armed Services and Appropriations Committees. Amends the Department of Defense Appropriation Authorization Act, 1976, to direct the Secretary of Defense to submit to the Congress quarterly written acquisition reports for those major defense systems which are estimated to require a total cumulative financing for research, development, test, and evaluation in excess of $75,000,000 or a cumulative production investment in excess of $300,000,000. Authorizes the Secretary to provide such support, not to exceed $10,000,000, to the XIII Olympic Winter Games as the Lake Placid Olympic Organizing Committee may consider necessary and the Secretary may consider advisable. Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1980 to provide such assistance. Stipulates that no funds may be obligated or expended for such purpose unless specifically appropriated for such purpose, except for pay and nontravel related allowances to military personnel. Directs the President to report to the Congress regarding reform of the Selective Service System. Expresses the view of the Congress that such System should remain an independent agency. Directs the Secretary of the Air Force to conduct a study of the physical condition of Titan II missile systems in the United States. Prohibits payment after September 30, 1980, of dependents' travel and transportation benefits to military personnel assigned overseas when the number of overseas dependents exceeds 325,000. Authorizes the Department of Defense to purchase domestically produced gasohol for its vehicles. Amends the Uniformed Services Survivors' Benefit Amendments of 1978 to extend the cut-off date for reservists electing coverage for six months. Amends the Department of Defense Appropriation Authorization Act, 1978, to extend for one year the period for reduction of senior-grade Department of Defense civilian personnel. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the United States should have unlimited access to strategic and critical materials from Zimbabwe-Rhodesia. Requires the Secretary of Defense to report to the Congress regarding compensation paid out of Federal funds to any officer or employee of Federal contract research centers in excess of level II of the Executive Schedule.

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Bill titles: An act to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 1980 for procurement of aircraft, missiles, naval vessels, tracked combat vehicles, torpedoes, and other weapons and for research, development, test, and evaluation for the Armed Forces, to prescribe the authorized personnel strength for each active duty component and the Selected Reserve of each Reserve component of the Armed Forces and for civilian personnel of the Department of Defense, to authorize the military training student loads, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 1980 for civil defense, and for other purposes.; A bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 1980, for procurement of aircraft, missiles, naval vessels, tracked combat vehicles, torpedoes, and other weapons, and research, development, test, and evaluation for the Armed Forces, and to prescribe the authorized personnel strength for each active duty component and of the Selected Reserve of each Reserve component of the Armed Forces and of civilian personnel of the Department of Defense, and to authorize the military training student loans, and for other purposes.

Original source documents: Digest of the Congressional Record vol. 148, p. 9791;

Links for more info on the vote: congress.gov

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