Frank Lautenberg: “I rise to applaud the chairman and ranking members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senators Levin and McCain…”

“I rise to applaud the chairman and ranking members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senators Levin and McCain, respectively, on passage of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2008. Specifically, I would like to express my gratitude to the bill conferees for their inclusion of four amendments that I authored and which were unanimously adopted by the Senate during its initial consideration of this bill. These provisions will increase oversight of our country's economic and security assistance to Afghanistan by creating a Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, section 1229; help victims of state sponsored terrorism to achieve justice through the U.S. courts, section 1083; prevent military health care fees through the TRICARE program from rising, sections 701 and 702; and increase accountability and planning for safety and security at the Warren Grove Gunnery Range in New Jersey, section 359. First, I was proud to be joined by my cosponsors, Senators Coburn, Dodd, Hagel, Feingold, Webb, and McCaskill, in creating a Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.”