THE DAILY WHIP: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

**Following one minute speeches, the House is expected to recess until approximately 10:00 a.m. At that time, the House will reconvene and consider the Conference Report to Accompany S. 2943 – National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017.

Conference Report to Accompany S. 2943 – National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Rep. Thornberry – Armed Services).  The Conference Report would authorize funding for the Department of Defense and other related agencies, programs, and operations for Fiscal Year 2017. It authorizes approximately $611.2 billion in discretionary budget authority in total.  This includes $523.7 billion for the Department of Defense (DOD) base budget and $19.4 billion for the defense-related activities of the Department of Energy (DOE).  It authorizes more than $67.8 billion in discretionary budget authority for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO).  That includes $3 billion of base, non-war spending that the Majority deemed as funding for OCO in order to circumvent the Budget Control Act’s defense discretionary spending cap for FY17 agreed to last fall.  The initial House-passed bill included $18 billion in non-war funding deemed as funding for OCO.

The Conference Report supports a 2.1 percent pay increase for military personnel and also updates the Uniform Code of Military Justice to include new protections for victims of military sexual assaults.  The Conference Report removes language in the House-passed bill that would have discriminated against LGBT employees.  It also removes language blocking the application of the “Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces” Executive Order to DOD as well as Senate language that would have exempted the DOD from numerous other executive orders related to labor rights.  Language that would have prohibited funds from being used to enforce executive orders aimed at combatting climate change was also dropped.

The Conference Report provides $1.2 billion to combat ISIL and provides authority to train and assist vetted Syrian opposition forces through December 31, 2018, and maintains congressional oversight over those efforts. It provides $3.4 billion for the European Reassurance Initiative to bolster relationships with European allies and partners and to deter Russian aggression, as well as $350 million to train and equip Ukrainian security forces.  $600 million will be allocated for the Israeli missile defense system.  The Conference Report also authorizes $25 million for the advancement of women in the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, as well as renews authority to issue special visas through 2020 for Afghans who supported U.S. efforts in Afghanistan and increases the number of available visas to 1,500 visas.

The legislation maintains existing restrictions on domestic transfers of Guantanamo detainees and prevents the use of funds for construction or modification of U.S. facilities to house Guantanamo detainees.