CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE

May 20, 1976

Page 14801

Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, I speak today in support of the military construction authorization bill that the Committee on Armed Services has reported.

First, I want to extend my appreciation to my friend, the distinguished Senator from Missouri (Mr. SYMINGTON), for the effort he has devoted to this important legislative measure. He has brought his last construction bill before the Senate; it is a good bill; it is below the administration's request.

S. 3434 proposes an authorization level of $3.29 billion in budget authority, a figure $84 million less than the amended budget request of $3.37 billion. Outlays resulting from the Senate Committee proposal are roughly $3.19 billion including outlays for this authorization bill and prior year budget authority. This outlay total is only $3 to $4 million less than the original estimate because of the slow spend out rate associated with military construction starts.

The effect of this bill, when combined with the military procurement authorization bill, is to place the national defense total potentially within the functional target set by Congress in the first budget resolution.