Congress finally approves authorization bill

[unhappycamper]

Congress finally approves authorization bill
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Dec 14, 2007 14:29:13 EST

A $696.4 billion defense policy bill cleared its final congressional hurdle and is on its way to the White House for President Bush’s signature.

The bill, passed on a 90-3 vote, includes a 3.5 percent military pay raise, a Wounded Warrior package aimed at helping injured combat veterans and their families, makes significant increases in the size of the Army and Marine Corps and includes almost $100 billion in weapons funding.

“The pay increase won’t make them rich, but they didn’t join to get rich,” said Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, the Senate majority leader, referring to service members. “It will help them pay bills.”

The bill includes authorization to add 13,000 active-duty soldiers and 9,000 Marines to the force, and orders the services to stop converting military medical jobs into civilian positions.

Also in the bill is a one-year freeze on any fee increases for people using the military’s Tricare health insurance program.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/12/military_authbill_approved_071214w/