The House passed (300-119) the FY2015 Defense Authorization bill yesterday with bipartisan support.

The “Carl Levin and Howard P. “Buck” McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015,” named after the Senate and House Armed Services Committee chairmen, was agreed to in conference this week. The House had passed its version of the bill in May. The Senate Armed Services Committee approved its version in May, but the full Senate had not acted on the bill.

The agreed-to legislation authorizes $495.9 billion in base discretionary budget authority for the Department of Defense (DoD) and $17.5 billion for the Department of Energy (DoE) nuclear weapons program.  The bill authorizes an additional $63.7 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO).

The bill authorizes the president’s request for a 1 percent military pay raise and accepts the president’s proposal to freeze pay for General and Flag officers in FY2015. However, the bill rejects proposed changes to TRICARE, but does authorizes a $3 increase in pharmacy co-pays for prescriptions filled in non-military treatment facilities by non-Active Duty TRICARE beneficiaries. The bill also provides an additional $100 million in subsidy funding for the commissary system, restoring the administration proposed reduction

The conferees reduced the administration-proposed 5 percent cut to Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) to 1 percent. The bill also rejects another Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round in 2017 that was urged by the administration.

The bill also rejects other savings proposals made by the administration. The House-Senate bill denies the administration proposal to defer a decision on refueling the USS George Washington until the FY2016 budget. Almost $800 million is provided in FY2015 for support and advance planning for refueling the aircraft carrier.

The bill also prohibits the Air Force from retiring or preparing to retire the A-10 aircraft fleet in FY2015 and stops the Air Force from retiring any Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) in FY2015.

The legislation authorizes $1.25 billion for National Guard and Reserve equipment (not requested by the administration) and blocks the Army’s plan to move AH-64 Apache helicopters from the National Guard to active components in FY2015.

In a major organizational move, the conference agreement creates an Under Secretary of Defense for Business Management and Information that combines the positions of Deputy Chief Management Officer (DCMO) and Chief Information Officer (CIO). Currently, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, supported by the DCMO and staff, assumes the CMO roles and responsibilities.

The Senate will consider the bill next week.