How People Voted
24% For, 76% Against
123 votes cast
Take Action
 |
Alert Your Friends and Colleagues |
 |
Write Your Representative in Congress |
| Organize | |
|
Start A Petition |
| Save & Share | |
 |
del.icio.us |
 |
Digg |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
Yahoo! |
P.L. 111-322, The Continuing Appropriations and Surface Transportation Extensions Act, 2011
- This item is from the 111th Congress (2009-2010) and is no longer current. Comments, voting, and wiki editing have been disabled, and the cost/savings estimate has been frozen.
Version saved on November 10, 2009, 07:36:40, by webmaster:
Making appropriations for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010.
Detailed Summary
Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2010 - <b>Title I: Department of Defense</b> - Appropriates funds for FY2010 for the Department of Defense (DOD) for: (1) military construction for the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, and Air Force (military departments), DOD, the Army and Air National Guard, and the Army, Navy, and Air Force reserves; (2) the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Security Investment Program; (3) family housing construction and related operation and maintenance for the military departments and DOD; (4) the Department of Defense Family Housing Improvement Fund; (5) the Homeowners Assistance Fund; (6) chemical demilitarization construction; and (7) the Department of Defense Base Closure Accounts of 1990 and 2005.
Specifies restrictions and authorizations regarding the use of funds appropriated in this title and in other military construction appropriations Acts.
(Sec. 112) Directs the Secretary of Defense to notify the appropriate congressional committees 30 days in advance of the plans and scope of any proposed military exercise involving U.S. personnel if construction costs are anticipated to exceed $100,000.
(Sec. 119) Requires the Secretary of the military department concerned, at least 60 days prior to issuing any solicitation for a contract with the private sector for military family housing, to notify the appropriations committees of any guarantees (including the making of mortgage or rental payments) proposed to be made to the private party in the event of: (1) the closure or realignment of the installation for which the housing is provided; (2) a reduction in force of units stationed at such installation; or (3) the extended deployment overseas of units stationed at such installation.
(Sec. 120) Authorizes the transfer of DOD funds for expenses associated with the Homeowners Assistance Program under the Metropolitan Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Development Act of 1966.
(Sec. 123) Places specified restrictions and limitations on the obligation or expenditure of funds made available in this title or in any other military construction appropriations Act to carry out a military construction, land acquisition, or family housing project at or for a military installation approved for closure, or for supporting a function that has been approved for realignment to another installation, in 2005 under the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990.
(Sec. 124) Provides for the transfer of lapsed unobligated military construction and family housing funds into the Foreign Currency Fluctuations, Defense account.
(Sec. 125) Prohibits this Act's funds from being used for any action that relates to or promotes the expansion of the boundaries or size of the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site, Colorado.
<b>Title II: Department of Veterans Affairs</b> - Authorizes appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for: (1) the Veterans Benefits Administration; (2) readjustment benefits; (3) veterans insurance and indemnities; (4) the Veterans Housing Benefit Program Fund; (5) the Vocational Rehabilitation Loans Program; (6) the Native American Veteran Housing Loan Program; (7) guaranteed transitional housing loans for homeless veterans; (8) the Veterans Health Administration (including for medical and prosthetic research and information technology systems); (9) the National Cemetery Administration; (10) the Office of the Inspector General; (11) construction for major and minor projects; and (12) grants for the construction of state extended care facilities and veterans cemeteries.
Specifies restrictions and authorizations regarding the use of funds appropriated in this title.
(Sec. 210) Makes funds from this title available to reimburse expenses of the Office of Resolution Management and the Office of Employment Discrimination Complaint Adjudication, within specified limits.
(Sec. 216) Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to allow veterans eligible under existing VA medical care requirements and who reside in Alaska to obtain medical services from facilities supported by the Indian Health Service or tribal organizations.
(Sec. 218) Prohibits the VA from using funds available in this or any other Act to replace the current system by which the Veterans Integrated Service Networks select and contract for diabetes monitoring supplies and equipment.
(Sec. 220) Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to report quarterly to the appropriations committees on the financial status of the Veterans Health Administration.
<b>Title III: Related Agencies</b> - Appropriates funds for: (1) the American Battle Monuments Commission; (2) the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims; (3) cemeterial expenses; and (4) the Armed Forces Retirement Home.
<b>Title IV: General Provisions</b> - Specifies restrictions and authorities regarding the use of funds appropriated in this Act.
(Sec. 408) Prohibits this Act's funds from being used for: (1) a project or program named for an individual serving as a Member, Delegate,or Resident Commissioner of the U.S. Congress; or (2) the processing of new enhanced use leases in the three original National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers established before 1868.
(Sec. 409) Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to report to Congress on the current and planned use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in VA medical facilities.
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 11/9/2009: Senate floor actions. Status: Considered by Senate.
Points in Favor
(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)
Points Against
(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)
Cost per :
Learn More
Visitor Comments
Dan
December 13, 2010, 10:49am (report abuse)What is the status of this bill? I thought we are now in a CR continuing the FY10 levels?
Scooter47
December 14, 2010, 11:38am (report abuse)As I understand this bill, it is termed a "continuing resolution" to fund the USG until a formal budget is passed. Because this is a "must pass" bill or the government has to shut down, the special interests found this bill ideal to include self-serving special provisions, pork and "riders". In particular I strongly object to Section 2727 which amends a 76 year old federal act and overturns a 2009 US Supreme Court decision. Regardless whether you agree with the purpose for Section 2727 or not, I hope everyone (except the special interests that support this Section) would agree that legislation this significant deserves an open debate and legal review and therefore should be a "stand-alone" bill and follow regular order. Until Section 2727 is removed I urge Congress to vote NO on this bill. Let's send a message to Congress that we're tired of business as usual and we oppose slipping special interest "riders" into must-pass bills late in a lame-duck session of Congress! .
Kevin
December 15, 2010, 9:21pm (report abuse)I guess this past election went on deaf ears to the democrats and those republicans that are willing to suuport this bill. What will it take for you politicians that make promises on top of promises. I really don't know how you can sleep at night when all you do is to continue to LIE,LIE,LIE. All I heard was get rid of the earmarks. Maybe you think the voters who put you in office are really stupid. Shame on all of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jim Brown
December 16, 2010, 10:59am (report abuse)A simple solution to the Earmark problem Nationally would be to hold elections and ratify the results the final two weeks in December with all elected members being seated on January 1st following the election. Concurrently, changes to the authority governing sessions, duties, etc, should prohibit Congress from taking a recess in excess of three days so long as there are unresolved regular appropriation bills or continuing appropriations for funding federal agencies whose regular appropriations bills have not been enacted. In other words, make them work 2080 hours per year, earn their salaries, do what they were elected for and stop the government paid vacation most are embarked upon.
txbill57
December 16, 2010, 1:53pm (report abuse)Is that 29K per family that pays taxes or that's legal or that resides in the US?
Jim Brown
December 16, 2010, 2:47pm (report abuse)MY PROPOSAL TO STOP THIS CRAP:
A simple solution to the problem Nationally would be to hold elections and ratify the results the final two weeks in December with all elected members being seated on January 1st following the election. Concurrently, changes to the authority governing sessions, duties, etc, should prohibit Congress from taking a recess in excess of three days so long as there are unresolved regular appropriation bills or continuing appropriations for funding federal agencies whose regular appropriations bills have not been enacted. In other words, make them work 2080 hours per year, earn their salaries, do what they were elected for and stop the government paid vacation most are embarked upon.
Kevin campbell
December 17, 2010, 4:50pm (report abuse)Why should defense money be spent on housing? Hardworking americans buy houses. I am not in default on my house. I won't get any help from this bill, but I have to help pay for it. This is wrong.
RSS Feeds for This Bill
Keep yourself updated on user contributions and debates about this bill! (Learn more about RSS.)
From the Blog
FY 2010 Spending Tracker
Congress is well into the process of passing the twelve spending bills that dictate federal government spending for the 2010 fiscal year, which begins October 1, 2009. We’ve produced a table to track the House and Senate bills, their costs, and ...WashingtonWatch.com Digest - June 29, 2009
This is the WashingtonWatch.com email newsletter for the week of June 29, 2009. Subscribe here. email newsletter | tell a friend | wiki | about | home | log in On the WashingtonWatch.com Blog Congress is well into the process of passing the tw...More Bills on the House Floor This Week
Here are some more bills going to the House floor this week: H.R. 1129 - To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide an annual grant to facilitate an iron working training program for Native Americans H.R. 1275 - Utah Recreational Land Exchan...FY 2010 Spending Tracker Updated
The FY 2010 Spending Tracker has been updated with votes in the House last week on energy and water development spending, financial services and general government spending, and military/veterans spending. The two biggest bills of the season have yet t...FY 2010 Spending Update
Fiscal year 2010 began October 1st, but Congress is still hashing through its decisions about spending for the year. Let’s review. When Congress failed to finish the spending process by the first of this month, it passed one of the twelve appropr...The Latest on Annual Spending
Congress didn’t finish the annual spending process by the beginning of the new fiscal year October 1st. It has passed some of the bills that run the government, but most of the government has been running on temporary spending measures, called ...WashingtonWatch.com Digest – November 16, 2009
This is the WashingtonWatch.com email newsletter for the week of November 16, 2009. Subscribe here. email newsletter | tell a friend | wiki | about | home | log in From the Blog: The Latest on Annual Spending Congress is still in the midst...Consolidated Spending Bill – $9,500 per U.S. Family
The House plans to put all but one of the spending bills that haven’t been completed into one and pass it, perhaps as early as today. The damage is about $9,500 in spending per U.S. family. The Trasnportation/HUD spending bill will be renamed the...Congress Bumbles Forward on Budgeting
The good folks at the National Priorities Project have a rundown on what’s happening with budgeting and spending this week: In the House, the Democratic leadership is pushing for a CR [continuing resolution] that takes the government all the way ...WashingtonWatch.com Digest – December 13, 2010
This is the WashingtonWatch.com email newsletter for the week of December 13, 2010. Subscribe here. email newsletter | tell a friend | wiki | about | home | log in On the Blog: FY 2011 Earmark Requests: 39,000+ and $130 Billion Last week, ...Senators Load Spending Bill With Earmarks
Just weeks after Republican senators swore earmarks off, the Senate is moving a spending bill larded with earmarks. Reports the Washington Post: The $1.2 trillion bill, released on Tuesday, includes more than 6,000 earmarks totaling $8 billion, an amou...The Week Just Passed: Congress Races to Finish its Term (Paper)
Congress is hustling like a college student writing her senior thesis at the last minute. An unusual weekend session for the Senate capped a raucous week, which we’ll review here briefly. First, the simple stuff. On Friday, with just two weeks to...Continuing Resolution Funds Government Until March
Congress has passed yet another continuing resolution to fund the government on a temporary basis—this time through March 3, 2011. The bill is H.R. 3082, which has had as many different versions as Elizabeth Taylor has had marriages. According t...The WashingtonWatch.com Blog’s 2010 in Review
With an eventful year drawing to a close, we thought we’d look back on 2010 in the WashingtonWatch.com blog. Many things happened in the world of public policy and politics. We focused on some of them… Our first post of 2010 dealt with one ...WashingtonWatch.com Digest – December 27, 2010
This is the WashingtonWatch.com email newsletter for the week of December 27, 2010. Subscribe here. email newsletter | tell a friend | wiki | about | home | log in On the Blog: 2010 in Review The year 2010 was an eventful one. We reviewed ...WashingtonWatch.com Digest – January 24, 2011
This is the WashingtonWatch.com email newsletter for the week of January 24, 2011. Subscribe here. email newsletter | tell a friend | wiki | about | home | log in On the Blog: State of the Union Week With President Obama’s state of t...Budget and Spending Follies Resume
The nation’s budget and spending crisis will take center stage this week. Two big things are going on. First, Congress will begin to debate a bill to fund the government the rest of the year. The temporary law that currently keeps the government ...GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN! Delayed…
Evidently, a government shutdown is not going to happen—not for a couple of weeks anyway. According to the latest reports, House and Senate leaders have agreed to pass a temporary spending measure that funds the government from this Friday (when...