Department of Defense Appropriation Authorization Act, 1976

(House agreed to conference report, roll call #454 (348-60))

Department of Defense Appropriation Authorization Act - =Title I: Procurement= - Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1976 for the use of the Armed Forces for procurement of aircraft (including $64,000,000 for the procurement of only long lead items for the B-1 bomber; but prohibits any of the funds appropriated by this Act from being obligated or expended for the purpose of entering into any production contract or any other contractual arrangement for the production of the B-1 unless the production of the B-1 is authorized by law), missiles, naval vessels, tracked combat vehicles, torpedoes, and other weapons.

=Title II: Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation= - Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1976 for the use of the Armed Forces for research, development, test, and evaluation.

=Title III: Active Forces= - Sets active duty personnel strengths for the components of the Armed Forces for fiscal year 1976, requiring a reduction of 9,000.

=Title IV: Reserve Forces= - Sets reserve personnel strengths for the Selected Reserve of each Reserve component of the Armed Forces for fiscal year 1976.

=Title V: Civilian Personnel= - Authorizes the civilian personnel strength for the Defense Department for fiscal year 1976.

=Title VI: Military Training Student Loads= - Authorizes average military training student loads for each component of the Armed Forces for fiscal year 1976.

=Title VII: Authorization for the Period Beginning July 1, 1976, and Ending September 30, 1976= - Authorizes appropriations for the transition period through September 30, 1976, for the use of the Armed Forces for procurement of aircraft (including $23,000,000 for the procurement of only long lead items for the B-1 bomber), missiles, naval vessels, tracked combat vehicles, torpedoes, and other weapons; and for research, development, test, and evaluation.

Authorizes end strengths for active duty personnel, requiring a reduction of 9,000.

Authorizes reserve personnel strengths for the Selected Reserve of each Reserve component, civilian personnel strengths for the Defense Department and the military training student loads for such period.

=Title VIII: General Provisions= - Requires the Secretary of the military department concerned to take such action as may be necessary and appropriate to insure that female individuals shall be eligible for appointment and admission to the service academies beginning with appointments to the academies in calendar year 1976.

Provides that the monthly retired or retainer pay of a member or a former member of an armed force who initially became entitled to that pay on or after January 1, 1971, may not be less than the monthly retired or retainer pay to which he would be entitled if he had become entitled to retired or retainer pay at an earlier date, adjusted to reflect any applicable increases in such pay.

Requires that, concurrent with the submission of the President's budget for the fiscal year commencing October 1, 1976, the Secretary of Defense shall submit a five-year naval ship new construction and conversion program.

Provides that beginning with the quarter ending December 31, 1975, the Secretary shall submit to the Congress within 30 days after the end of each quarter of each fiscal year, written selected acquisition reports for those major defense systems which are estimated to require the total cumulative financing for research, development, test, and evaluation in excess of $50,000,000 or a cumulative production investment in excess of $200,000,000.

Requires the Secretary to report to the Congress on any letters of offer to sell any defense articles from active inventories or proposals to transfer defense articles from such inventories for $25,000,000 or more.

Makes it the policy of the United States that equipment procured for use of Armed Forces personnel stationed in Europe under NATO should be standardized or at least interoperable with equipment of other NATO members.

Prohibits any supplier from engaging in discrimination in the supply, either within or outside the United States, of petroleum products for the Armed Forces of the United States.

Requires the Secretary, whenever he has reason to believe that there has been discrimination, to immediately refer the matter to the Attorney General of the United States who shall immediately institute an investigation.

Sets forth procedures by which the courts may grant immediate relief from any such discrimination.

Provides that for any investigation instituted by the Attorney General pursuant to this Act, he or his designee, shall at all reasonable times (A) have access to the premises or property of, (B) have access to and the right to copy the books, records, and other writings of, (C) have the right to take the sworn testimony of, and (D) have the right to administer oaths and affirmations to, any person as may be necessary or appropriate, in his discretion, to the enforcement of this Act and the regulations or orders issued thereunder.

States that any supplier who willfully discriminates as prohibited by this Act shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $100,000 or imprisoned for not more than two years, or both.

Disallows use of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this or any other Act for the purpose of production of lethal binary chemical munitions unless the President certifies to Congress that the production of such munitions is essential to the national interest and submits a full report thereon to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives as far in advance of the production of such munitions as is practicable.

States that the aggregate amount of any upward adjustments in specified elements of compensation of members of the uniformed services may not exceed 5 percent during the period from January 1, 1975, through June 30, 1976, except that no such restriction shall apply unless a 5 percent restriction on the aggregate amount of upward adjustments of the General Schedule of compensation for Federal classified employees is also required during that period.

Limits the number of enlisted aides on the personal staffs of officers of the Armed Services.