Amendments to 2013 DOD bill finished; House to pass bill Thursday

Accepted in roll call vote:

• Jim Moran (D-Va.), to prohibit funds from being used to enter into a contract, memorandum of understanding or cooperative agreement with, make a grant to or provide a loan or loan guarantee to Rosoboronexport (Russian-made helicopter manufacturer). Passed 407-5.

• Michael Turner (R-Ohio), to prohibit funds from being used to reduce the nuclear forces of the U.S., to implement the Nuclear Posture Review Implementation Study, modify the Secretary of Defense Guidance for Employment of Force, or the Joint Strategic Capabilities Plan. This has no effect on New START. Passed 235-178.

• Rick Berg (R-N.D.), to prohibit funds from being used to reduce the number of the following nuclear weapons delivery vehicles: Heavy bomber aircraft; Air-launched cruise missiles; Nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines; Submarine-launched ballistic missiles; Intercontinental ballistic missiles. Passed 232-183.

• Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.), to freeze spending at the FY2012 levels ($518 billion). Exempts Military Personnel, Defense Health, and Overseas Contingency Operations. Passed 247-167.

• Mulvaney, to reduce and increases $5.6 billion in Overseas Contingency and in basic Defense accounts. The intent of the amendment is to support the policy of moving $5.6 billion from Overseas Contingency to basic defense. Passed 238-178.

• Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.), to prohibit funds from being used to implement a new enrollment fee for the TRICARE for Life that did not exist as of the date of enactment of this Act. Passed 399-17.

Accepted by voice vote:

• Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), to prohibit funds from being used to assist the Governments of Iran and Syria, Hezbollah, Hamas, or the Muslim Brotherhood.

• Bill Flores (R-Texas), to prohibit funds from being used to enforce Sec. 526 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which removes external restrictions on DOD on using alternative fuels.

• Jon Runyan (R-N.J.), to require DOD to use American aircraft to move goods.

• Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), to require new cars bought to meet President Obama’s fuel efficiency goals for federal vehicles.

• Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), to prohibit funds from being used to enter into a contract with any person or entity that has been convicted of fraud against the Federal Government.

Rejected by roll call vote:

• Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), to set Pentagon spending levels at 2008 levels, plus inflation, reducing spending by $19.2 billion. Failed 87-326.

• Lee, to limit DOD spending to 2011 levels, cutting $7.6 billion. Failed 171-243.

• Mike Coffman (R-Colo.), to prohibit funds from being used to continue the deployment, beyond fiscal year 2013, of the 170th Infantry Brigade in Baumholder and the 172nd Infantry Brigade in Grafenwoehr, Germany. Allows rotational forces, but no permanent deployment, in Europe. Failed 123-292.

• John Garamendi (D-Calif.), to reduce Title IX — Overseas Deployment and Other Activities to $12.6 billion. Exempts Afghanistan Security Forces Fund, Defense Health Program, Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities — Defense, Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Fund, and Office for the Inspector General from any reductions in funding. Failed 137-278.

Rejected by voice vote:

• Kucinich, to prohibit funds from being used for the Armed Services vocational aptitude test.

Withdrawn or point of order:

• Lee, to limit funding to safe and orderly withdrawal from Afghanistan. Point of order.

• Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), to prohibit funds from being used to pay a contractor or subcontractor with DOD if the compensation of the employee exceeds $230,700. Allows certain targeted exceptions. Point of order.

• Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), to require contractors and subcontractors to disclose to the Administrator of GSA electioneering communications and independent expenditures or contributions made in the most recent election cycle. Point of order.

• Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), to prohibit the use of funds for contracts that don’t procure from small, veteran-owned businesses. Withdrawn.

• Walter Jones (R-N.C.), to prohibit funds to negotiate, enter into, or implement with Afghanistan that includes security assurances for mutual defense unless the agreement is in the form of a treaty or authorized by law. Point of order.