The signing into law of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 represents the achievement of many goals, which AUSA has championed for many years. Each member of AUSA is a torchbearer, carrying the message to our elected representatives and the American public. While much remains to be done, you should be proud of the fact that, as a member of AUSA, you carried the torch and contributed to the effort that yielded so many positive results. We owe the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the 106^th Congress an immense debt of gratitude for their ingenuity and perseverance in the pursuit of this extraordinary achievement.

	AUSA and others spoke out for:	Congress responded by:
	Eliminating TRICARE Prime co-payments for active duty family members receiving care in the civilian network.	Eliminating the co-payments, starting in October 2001.
	Extending TRICARE-Prime Remote to family members of all active duty soldiers.	Extending TRICARE-Prime Remote coverage to family members of all active duty personnel.
	Achieving unrestricted access to quality health care for every category of military beneficiary.	Providing lifetime TRICARE eligibility for Medicare-eligible military retirees and their families beginning in October 2001--no enrollment fees, no co-payments, no deductibles. Reducing annual maximum out-of-pocket expense for retiree TRICARE beneficiaries from $7,500 to $3,000 per family.
	Establishing a top-quality pharmacy benefit.	Restoring pharmacy access to all Medicare-eligible retirees, starting 1 April 2001. Expanding Department of Defense mail order and network retail pharmacy programs to allow participation by all beneficiaries.
	Fully funding the Defense Health program.	Authorizing $11.8 billion for defense health programs ($170 million more than the President's budget). Creating a retiree health care trust fund to make TRICARE-for-life a permanent and fully funded entitlement.
	Closing the pay gap between military and private sector pay by 2006. Reforming pay tables for grades E-5 through E-7.	Narrowing the pay gap from 13.5 percent in 1998 to less than 10 percent for 2001 (4.8 percent (FY00) and 3.7 percent (FY01) military pay raises). Reforming pay table for grades E-5 through E-7 starting in July 2001.
	Reducing soldiers' out-of-pocket expenses for housing to 15 percent in 2001, with continued reductions each year thereafter, eliminating the expense entirely by 2005.	Reducing soldier' out-of-pocket expenses for housing to 14.5 percent in 2001, eliminating the expense entirely by the year 2005.
	Achieving affordable, adequate housing for single/unaccompanied soldiers and soldiers with families.	Extending authorization of privatization program to build and maintain family housing improvements to existing units; $2.7 million for maintenance and upkeep of family housing (Army requested); and $758 million for construction of 47 new barracks.
	Fully funding the Federal Impact Aid Program in the Department of Education budget to preclude the children of military families from being disadvantaged in public schooling.	Reauthorizing impact aid for school districts with military and federal children at $35 million.

	DoD receiving additional dollars.	Appropriating $309.9 billion ($4.5 billion--1.5 percent--above President's budget) and $21.1 billion (7 percent) more than was appropriated in FY 2000.
	Maintaining a "ready" Army.	Fully funding ongoing operations in Balkans and Southwest Asia. Providing $135.5 million for depot maintenance; $81 million for training, training range improvements; and $125 million for war reserves and training munitions.
	Authorizing and fully funding Reserve Component Full-Time Support requirements.	Authorizing increases to President's budget for: Full-time personnel endstrength ($26.5 million); and an additional $41 million for 771 Army National Guard and 650 Army Reserve military technicians (dual status).
	Restoring the Research and Development (R&D) program.	Adding $3.3 billion in R&D to the President's budget, with $1.1 billion going to the Army.
	Fully funding Army Transformation.	Authorizing $1.6 billion for Army Transformation, roughly doubling the President's budget request.
	Fully funding Procurement to sustain, recapitalize and modernize the Army.	Authorizing $2.8 billion for C-17 and moving funds to special airlift account. Appropriating $160 million for Black Hawk and Apache helicopter programs; $83 million for the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS); $72 million for Bradley sustainment; and $77 million for the Wolverine Heavy Assault Bridge.

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