Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5122, and thank Chairman Hunter and Ranking Member Skelton for their hard work. 

The bill helps our servicemembers and their families, as well as military retirees.  It includes a 2.2 percent pay increase for military personnel and much-needed increases to end-strength numbers.  It places a one-year moratorium on cost increases for the TRICARE pharmacy benefit and expands TRICARE eligibility for reservists – two issues very important to my constituents. 

I am particularly pleased that H.R. 5122 recommends $400 million to expedite the construction schedule for the VIRGINIA-class submarine to that we can start building two per year as early as 2009.  The Navy’s current shipbuilding plan would have our submarine fleet drop to dangerously low levels, and this bill understands that we cannot allow that to happen. 

I thank the committee leadership for their efforts to accomplish these important goals, and I encourage my colleagues to support the measure.