Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33) Votes in Support of National Defense Authorization Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Last night, Congressman Veasey (TX-33) joined his colleagues to pass a bipartisan, bicameral agreement on a National Defense Authorization Act that honors our values, strengthens our security and advances America's leadership in the world. The legislation authorizes $732 billion in discretionary spending for our national defense for FY 2021 and passed the House by a bipartisan vote of 335 to 78.

"I am proud to join an overwhelming number of my colleagues to pass the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021," said Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33). "This robust package will ensure our nation's defense sector and our brave servicemembers have the needed resources to protect our nation from threats at home and abroad. This package also includes numerous provisions that I strongly support, such as robust resources for sexual assault prevention and response in the military in the wake of Texas solider Vanessa Guillen's death. In addition, the NDAA secures important funding for key national security programs that are critical for the DFW Metroplex's robust defense sector that employs many Texans in the district I represent. I urge President Trump to put politics aside and sign this bill into law. We must do all we can to provide proper resources for our troops and keep our country safe during these unprecedented times."

The bipartisan legislation includes provisions that would:

- Authorize hazardous duty pay for service members in harm's way,
- Provide a 3.0 percent pay raise for our troops,
- Authorize $8.73 billion for 93 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, for modernization of the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps fighter fleets
- Create an independent commission to make binding recommendations on modifying or removing all names, symbols, displays on military installations that honor the Confederacy or any person who served voluntarily with the Confederacy
- Require improvements for sexual assault prevention in the military, as well as streamline the process for reporting incidents so that no case is ignored
- Ensure paid parental leave is extended to all federal employees,
- Address the shortage in military child care,
- Provide long-overdue benefits to Vietnam-era veterans exposed to Agent Orange
- Require improvements in military housing,
- Further protect military communities from PFAS,
- Constrain executive overreach relating to emergency construction authority and deployment of military personnel to the southern border
- Ensure no backfill of the military construction funds taken for the President's border wall,
- Authorize $8.4 billion in military construction projects to fortify critical infrastructure and base realignment and closure clean up

Previous to his current position on Energy and Commerce Committee, Congressman Veasey served on the House Armed Services Committee.