Horsford Secures Wins for Nevada, Servicemembers and their Families and for HBCUs in National Defense Authorization Bill

NORTH LAS VEGAS - Congressman Steven Horsford (NV-04), as a member of the Armed Services Committee, secured major wins in legislation that will now go to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration by the entire chamber. The committee debated the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), legislation that establishes funding levels and sets policies for the Department of Defense. 

"As the voice for Nevadans, our veterans and servicemembers on the House Armed Services Committee, I was proud to secure many important improvements in the base legislation and pass amendments that will improve the lives of our servicemembers and their families. From investigating the challenges servicemembers face at Creech Air Force Base face when it comes to housing and childcare, to pushing for Assignment Incentive Pay for those serving at the base, to prioritizing employment for military spouses, I want to make sure our families receive the resources they need," said Congressman Horsford. 

Horsford worked to include the following items in the NDAA: 

• The language of the Transpacific Allies Investing in Weapons to Advance National (TAIWAN) Security Act, which requires the Secretary of Defense to enhance defense industrial base cooperation between the U.S. and Taiwan in order to deepen U.S.-Taiwan defense ties, promote supply chain security, and help alleviate Taiwan’s readiness challenges.
• Requiring a report on the effectiveness of the Family Child Care Provider Program, recognizing that remote or isolated duty stations that lack a Child Development Center, such as Creech Air Force Base, force military families to rely on family child care providers and face challenges in availability and certification of those providers.
• Requiring an assessment of Creech Air Force Base, to designate it a remote and isolated installation, which will improve resources and pay for servicemembers and their families.
• A report on the racial disparities on cannabis-related offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and acknowledges the recommendation to reschedule.
• A report on military spouse federal employment in order to address military spouse unemployment.

Congressman Horsford was also able to secure historic funding for national defense research investment at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). This funding would provide additional resources for stipends for undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral scholars, recruitment and retention of faculty and graduate students, faculty professional development, construction, modernization, and retrofitting for research purposes, and more. In order to continue the crucial work of investing in our national security, this funding ensures opportunity for all and that no potential is untapped. This is a critical investment in our nation's science, technology, engineering, and mathematics workforce.