WARWICK, R.I. – Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) today voted to approve H.R. 2647, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010. The $680.5 billion measure still needs to be approved by the Senate.

“This defense spending blueprint reaffirms our support for our troops and will give them the tools they need to continue fighting terrorism and protecting the national security interests of the U.S. and our allies around the world,” said Langevin, a member of House Armed Services Committee. “I am also pleased that this legislation will help eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in the military contracting process.”

Some highlights of H.R. 2647 include:
- Increasing the pay for our troops by 3.4 percent
- Investing $1.95 billion in military family housing
- Replacing and repairing equipment used in Iraq and Afghanistan
- Addressing equipment shortfalls in the National Guard and Reserve
- Investing in missile defense systems requested by the President and Secretary of Defense
- Strengthening the ability to combat cyber threats
- Improving the process for public-private competitions for Department of Defense functions

The measure also includes two amendments authored by Langevin and adopted during Armed Services Committee consideration.  The first amendment would suspend for three years the A-76 process, under which Defense Department functions are competed to determine whether they will be performed by public employees or private contractors.  This moratorium will give the Obama Administration time to review the A-76 process and determine how it should be updated and improved, while allowing our military personnel to focus on critical missions, including two wars, implementation of the 2005 BRAC round and ongoing transformational initiatives. 

The second Langevin amendment will strengthen the cybersecurity capabilities of the U.S. military by requiring the Secretary of Defense to report to Congress on challenges to retention and professional development of uniformed and civilian cyber operators.  This report will help define numbers of personnel, recruitment and retention incentives, policy impediments, and methods to improve interagency and academic outreach to individuals with critical cyber skills.

-30-