Press Releases
Kelly's Priorities for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) FY21
Washington,
July 2, 2020
Washington - The House Armed Services Committee has passed the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by a vote of 56-0. "This marks the next major step in ensuring that we are sustaining our victories against foreign adversaries, protecting the homeland, and providing adequate resources to the men and women of our Armed Forces," Rep. Kelly said. "Our work on H.R. 6395, the FY21 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), illustrates how, despite our many differences, we can set those differences aside to protect our great Nation. This process is an opportunity to debate, offer amendments, and if necessary, rewrite language in the bill." Measures Representative Kelly has included in the NDAA include the following priorities: Rebuilding the Armed Forces: This mark increases end-strength for the Army, Navy, and for the first time, the Space Force. This proposal also includes an extension of special pay and bonuses for service members in high demand fields, and supports a basic military pay raise by 3 percent. Hazardous Duty Pay: This mark includes an amendment to increase the hazardous duty pay to $275 a month for our Armed Forces members serving in remote and austere environments across the world. Military Family Support: This mark addresses specific needs of our military families that have not been previously addressed, including specialized services for children with severe disabilities. The measure also requires the Department of Defense to implement a strategy to better communicate with military families in the areas of education, spousal employment, and healthcare. Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP): This mark requires the standardization of the EFMP, ensuring military families have the specialized services their families require when and where they are needed. Response to COVID-19: This mark requires the Department of Defense ensure that the Armed Forces have the diagnostic equipment, testing capabilities, and personal protective equipment necessary to protect service members from the threat of infectious diseases and to treat members who contract infectious diseases. It also requires the National Security Strategy to include the provision of drugs, biologics, vaccines, and other critical medical equipment to ensure combat readiness and the safeguarding of the health of the Armed Forces. Verification Alignment and Service-disabled Business Adjustment: This mark transfers responsibility for verifying that a small business concern is owned and controlled by a veteran or service-disabled veteran, for the purposes of eligibility for certain procurement programs, from the Department of Veterans Affairs to the Small Business Administration. Recognizing the Sacrifice of Service Members Interred at Arlington National Cemetery: This amendment places a prohibition on charging families for acronyms KIA, MIA, or POW on the headstones of individuals laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. To read Rep. Kelly's priorities in full detail, please click on the link. ### |