In the resulting redistribution of subcommittee responsibilities, the Subcommittees on Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development (VA-HUD) and Military Construction were eliminated and some of their responsibilities were assigned to a new Subcommittee on Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs under the chairmanship of Representative James T. Walsh. The reconstituted subcommittee continued under the chairmanship of Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson and was renamed the Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. Title I: Department of Defense

		Military Construction

			Army Modularity

All of the military operating forces are undergoing significant structural reorganization as part of the Department of Defense transformation effort. 109-105 ) that the Army's change in organization is intertwined with two other initiatives, Military Base Realignment and Closure, and the redeployment of 60,000 - 70,000 troops from overseas garrisons to posts in the United States and its territories over the next decade. 2559 , P.L. The Commission was also enjoined to "submit to the President and Congress a report which shall contain a detailed statement of the findings and conclusions of the Commission, together with its recommendations for such legislation and administrative actions as it considers appropriate ... [and] the report shall also include a proposal by the Commission for an overseas basing strategy for the Department of Defense in order to meet the current and future mission of the Department." We have concluded that we are doing too much too fast and a reordering of the steps is necessary. Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom

The Fiscal Year 2005 Emergency Supplemental Appropriation request included $1.0 billion to support operations in Afghanistan and Iraq through military construction in these and surrounding countries. While the total number of veterans is declining, the number receiving benefits is increasing. In addition to the increased number of beneficiaries, much of the projected increases in recent years result from cost-of-living adjustments for compensation benefits and from liberalizations to the Montgomery GI Bill, the primary education program. 109-188 ) provided $1.5 billion in supplemental appropriations for veterans medical services for FY2005, with carryover authority for FY2006 as well. This action was taken by Congress in response to the FY2005 budget shortfall of more than $1 billion announced by the Administration. 109-105 ), making appropriations for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies for FY2006 (MIL-CON appropriations bill). Selected Websites
House Committee on Appropriations http://appropriations.house.gov/
Senate Committee on Appropriations http://appropriations.senate.gov/
House Committee on Armed Services http://www.house.gov/hasc/
Senate Committee on Armed Services http://armed-services.senate.gov/
House Committee on Veterans Affairs http://veterans.house.gov/
Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs http://veterans.senate.gov/
Commission on Review of Overseas Military Facility Structure of the United States (Overseas Basing Commission) http://www.obc.gov/
CRS Appropriations Products Guide http://www.crs.gov/products/appropriations/apppage.shtml
CRS Multimedia Library http://www.crs.gov/products/multimedia/multimedialibrary.shtml
Congressional Budget Office http://www.cbo.gov/
Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC Commission) http://www.brac.gov
Government Accountability Office http://www.gao.gov/
The structure of the Committees on Appropriations underwent significant change with the beginning of the 109th Congress. As a result, jurisdictions over the appropriations covered in this report, including military construction, military housing allowances, military installation maintenance and operation, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and other veteran-related agencies, rest in the House Committee on Appropriations with the new Subcommittee on Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs. In the Senate Committee on Appropriations, jurisdiction for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and other veteran-related agencies lies with the Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, while military housing allowances and military installation maintenance and operation are the responsibility of the Subcommittee on Defense. Authorization jurisdictions lie with the two Committees on the Armed Services and Committees on Veterans Affairs.
Key issues in congressional action to date include:
Military Construction: The changing structure of the Army, the redeployment of troops from overseas garrisons to domestic bases, and the current BRAC round have drawn committee attention during the appropriation process. The report of the Commission on Review of Overseas Military Facility Structure of the United States (the Overseas Basing Commission), created by Congress, concluded that the Department of Defense (DOD) plan for withdrawing forces from long-standing garrisons in Europe and Asia is moving too fast and that DOD has not engaged in substantive consultation with other agencies whose operations would be affected by the changes. The funding of the construction of military infrastructure in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq), whether continuing through emergency supplemental appropriations or transitioning to the normal annual appropriation cycle, has also been discussed in hearings. Veteran Benefits: Entitlement spending is rising as the number of beneficiaries is increasing, education benefits are being augmented, and annual cost of living adjustments are being granted. Benefits such as disability compensation, pensions, and education are mandatory payments and constitute more than half ($36.6 billion) of the VA appropriation of approximately $70 billion. Veteran Medical Care: The Administration has again requested legislative changes to increase certain co-payments and other cost-sharing fees for veterans in lower priority categories. After VA announced a shortfall of more than $1 billion from its FY2005 enacted appropriations for veterans health programs, $1.5 billion in supplemental appropriations was added by P.L. 109-54.