Congressman Horsford Secures Funding for Nevada’s Military Families with National Defense Authorization Act
Washington, D.C. - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act final conference report, the first NDAA under the Democratic majority that keeps our nation secure and delivers for the people—namely our brave service members and their families.
"I'm voting for the defense authorization bill because it provides a needed pay raise to support our brave service members and their families, secures paid leave for those in federal service and funds vital resources to protect our national security," Congressman Steven Horsford (NV-04) said. "I'm pleased that we secured increased funding to Nellis Air Force Base which is home to nearly 10,000 service members and serves an integral role in the southern Nevada community."
This bill includes concrete measures to improve the lives of our service members and their families, eliminates wasteful spending, promotes a more inclusive military by reinforcing the values of diversity, and solidifies Congress' oversight role of defense programs and the authorization to use military force. In addition to a 3.1 percent raise for all service members, the National Defense Authorization Act will improve the lives of Nevada's military families and for service members across the country:
● Provides a 3.1 percent pay raise: The bill recognizes the hard work of our dedicated service members and provides them with a 3.1 percent pay increase.
● Implements paid parental leave for federal employees: The bill provides federal workers with 12 weeks paid parental leave in the case of birth, adoption or fostering. This brings civilian parental leave benefits more in line with what military personnel receive. This could also result in cost savings in terms of retention rates and can help recruit talent.
● Repeals the "Widow's Tax": The bill allows the spouse of a service member who is killed in action to receive both Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) benefits in full.
● Reforms the Feres Doctrine: The bill creates a pathway for a service member to file a claim for themselves, or a family member, in the case of medical malpractice for personal injury or death.
● Provides no new funding for President Trump's unnecessary border wall: The bill does not authorize any backfill of military construction funds taken for the President's border wall.
In addition to these critical provisions includes in the FY20 NDAA final conference report, this bill provides robust funding for military instillations at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada's Fourth Congressional District, including:
- $57,000,000 for the 365th ISR Group Facility
- $3,100,000 for the F-35 Munitions Maintenance Facilities Cost-to-Compete
- $8,200,000 for F-35 Munitions Assembly Conveyor Facility
Earlier this year, Congressman Horsford voted to approve the Fiscal Year 2020 spending bill that secured robust funding for numerous priorities of Nevada's 4th District and communities across Nevada. That bill provided $690.2 billion in discretionary funds to defend against evolving threats, prepare for future challenges, and meet the needs of service members and families—15.8 billion above the enacted level. This allocation included $1.055 billion for key readiness programs to prepare forces, including the National Guard and reserve, for combat operations.