President signs bill providing pay raise, TSP participation for troops
President Clinton signed a $309.9 billion fiscal 2001 Department of Defense authorization bill Monday that includes a pay raise for the military, increases procurement spending and addresses a host of civilian and service-member personnel issues.
Both House and Senate authorizers added billions of dollars that were not initially requested by the Clinton administration.
Clinton signed the 2001 Defense appropriations bill in August.
The act that Clinton signed Monday gives service members a 3.7 percent pay raise and also allows them to participate in the federal Thrift Savings Plan retirement program. Previously, the 401k-style plan was only open to civilian federal employees.
The act also sets DoD procurement spending at $63.2 billion. It marks the first time Defense procurement spending will meet the $60 billion annual goal called for by Defense Secretary William Cohen in 1997.
The act does not allow for any additional military base closures. The Pentagon had sought base closures in 2003 and 2005 but lawmakers widely rejected that request in an election year.
The act also:
- Sets end strength for active duty and reserve military personnel at 1,382,242 members.
- Extends DoD's authority to offer employee buyouts from fiscal 2003 to 2005.
- Directs the Comptroller General to create a panel of industry, labor and government representatives to review and recommend possible changes to federal privatization policy.
- Extends DoD's military housing privatization program.