Mike Levin: “every year since 1961 there has been an annual Defense authorization bill enacted. This year, like the previous 44…”

“every year since 1961 there has been an annual Defense authorization bill enacted. This year, like the previous 44 years, conferees and staff have worked extraordinarily hard and cooperated on a bi-partisan basis to get us to this point in our deliberations on this bill that means so much to our country. The fact that we are keeping up our decades-long tradition is reason enough to be proud, but what I am even prouder of is the leadership that our chairman and my friend, Senator Warner, has invested in getting us to this point. This bill is essential to the men and women of our Armed Forces. I am pleased that the conference report reflects Senate's longstanding commitment to a larger Army and Marine Corps. We authorized an increase of 1000 active duty marines for an authorized end strength of 180,000, 5,000 more than the administration requested. We also authorized an active duty end strength for the Army of 512,4000, 30,000 more than requested. I am delighted that, after several years of fighting for it, we have finally been able to authorize the TRICARE health care benefit for all members of the Selected Reserve and their families for a reasonable premium that is 28 percent of the cost of the program.”