Portman Fights to Strengthen National Security While Protecting Taxpayer Dollars During Senate Passage of the Defense Authorization Bill

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), and the Ranking Member on the Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee, fought for Ohio’s military men and women while also balancing the need for a strong national defense plan that is fiscally responsible during the Senate’s passage of the Department of Defense (DoD) Authorization for 2013.

“With the many national security threats we face now and in the future, we must maintain a strong national defense and ensure that our military men and women who put their lives in harm’s way have the resources to defend our freedom,” said Portman.  “At the same time, with Washington more than $16 trillion in debt, we need to make sure every dollar is spent wisely.

“That is what this legislation accomplishes by implementing the first year of the Administration’s $487 billion reduction in planned spending over the next 10 years.  This is a significant reduction, and we have spent the past ten months carefully reviewing and changing the Administration’s proposal to meet the goals consistent with our national security needs.”
 
Portman successfully advocated for the following measures, which are included in the Defense Authorization Bill:

•    Additional funding for joint U.S.-Israeli cooperative missile defense programs and procurement of Iron Dome short-range rocket defense batteries.

•    Reauthorization of critical security cooperation authorities to help key partners in counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics operations as well as direction to DoD to holistically review its partnership building capabilities in relation to the latest Defense Strategic Guidance.

•    Funding to procure long-lead items to support future M1A2 Abrams tank upgrades.  This funding will ensure that critical suppliers in our tank supply chain maintain production of key components needed to continue Abrams upgrades through 2014.  Portman’s advocacy in the Fiscal Year 2012 Authorization ensured production at the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center in Lima, Ohio through the summer of 2014.

•    Strongly endorsed the Committee’s proposal for the establishment of a National Commission to evaluate and determine the best structure of the Air Force.  Doing so will ensure that critical aircraft, like the C-27J, KC-135 and C-130, are retained and not prematurely retired next year.  This will allow an independent commission to recommend a structure for Congress to consider and avoid irreversible cuts that could negatively affect operational readiness and long-term costs.

•    Funding authorization for uranium enrichment research and development.  The USEC American Centrifuge Project in Piketon, Ohio is the cornerstone to fulfilling our national security requirements for a domestic source of enriched uranium.  

•    Direction to DoD to perform a thorough review of its specialized degree-granting programs in engineering, science and management to ensure institutions, like the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), are being utilized to their fullest potential in producing highly-educated military and civilian leaders who perform and manage DoD’s technology program.

•    Directed the Secretary of Defense to expand educational opportunities for defense industry employees.  At no expense to the taxpayer, this provision will enable more employees to attend and benefit from advanced education at AFIT and further utilize this premier educational institution.

•    Funding for DoD corrosion control initiatives as well as direction to DoD to study the return on investment and overall accounting of funds used in pursuit of corrosion reduction programs.  

•    Provided Congressional support and direction to DoD to coordinate with FAA and NASA to conduct joint research and find solutions to challenges associated with the integration of Unmanned Air Systems in the National Airspace System.  

•    Strengthened existing protections against human trafficking, which will ensure that overseas government contracts, paid for by taxpayer dollars, operate in a manner consistent with our deeply-held values as a nation.  This will require the best practices adopted by some contractors become standard practice on all significant U.S. government contracts abroad.

•    Expanded the Marine Corps Embassy Security Guard (MCESG) program to help increase the number of Marines assigned to diplomatic missions worldwide by directing the Secretary of Defense to develop a plan to increase the size of the program by up to 1,000 Marines to meet State Department requirements.

•    Directed the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to provide a report to Congress in six months to provide a better understanding of the process and procedures for diplomatic security in order to ensure that the proper resources and policies are in place to prevent events like the attacks in Benghazi from happening again.

•    Directed DoD to establish a plan to standardize educational transcripts issued to separating veterans to make sure their transition to civilian life is as seamless as possible.  The amendment will ensure our veterans receive appropriate academic credits for their honorable training.

•    Directed DoD to conduct an annual evaluation of medical services provided to children and dependents with special needs to ensure effective treatment while also identifying opportunities for cost saving and increasing efficiencies.  

•    Directed the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Attorney General and specifically the Drug Enforcement Agency, to report on issues that exist in prosecuting synthetic drug offenses including the utility and impact of listing synthetic-drug compounds as controlled substances in the Uniform Code of Military Justice.  

•    Guidance to DoD to conduct additional coordination with the Department of Energy for energy efficiency research, development and transition.