Ike Skelton National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011

The Ike Skelton National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 (H.R. 6523) is a comprehensive law that authorized $725 billion in funding for the Department of Defense and national security programs. It established the budget for military personnel, weapons procurement, and overseas operations in Iraq and Afghanistan while setting the authorized troop levels for the year.

For everyday citizens and service members, the law provided a 1.4% pay increase for military personnel and prohibited the Department of Defense from increasing certain TRICARE health insurance premiums and co-pays during that fiscal year. It also expanded healthcare coverage by allowing military families to keep dependent children on their TRICARE insurance plans until age 26, bringing the military’s health system in line with the Affordable Care Act. Additionally, the bill included new protections and resources for victims of sexual assault within the military and authorized funding for improved body armor and veteran employment programs on military construction projects.