WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) released the following statement announcing that two of her bills, in addition to other provisions and requests, were included in the annual bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. The NDAA is expected to pass the U.S. House of Representatives later today.
“Each year, the National Defense Authorization Act takes important steps to support our servicemembers and their families, strengthen our national security, and advance America’s global leadership,” said Senator Rosen. “I am proud to announce that this year’s NDAA reflects important priorities for Nevada. The NDAA provides a well-deserved pay-raise to our troops, provides a much-needed generator to Creech Air Force Base that I requested, and supports construction projects at both Naval Air Station Fallon and the Nevada National Security Site.”
“This year’s NDAA also includes five bipartisan bills that I introduced to strengthen U.S. cybersecurity against cyber-threats that impact our communities, the state of Nevada, and our nation,” Senator Rosen continued. “The NDAA also excludes funding for explosive nuclear testing in Nevada and storing defense nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, and it bolsters our defensive collaboration with key partners like Israel. I will continue working in Congress to support our servicemembers, develop cutting-edge national defense, promote strong global alliances, and ensure the safety of Nevadans and all Americans.”
BACKGROUND: Senator Rosen’s bipartisan bills in the FY21 NDAA include:
• PROMOTES Act (S.3900): Introduced by Senators Rosen, Rounds (R-SD), Blackburn (R-TN), and Peters (D-MI), this bill authorizes the Secretary of Defense to establish a grant program for STEM in JROTC units.
• PROTECT Act (S.4195): Introduced by Senators Rosen and Cassidy (R-LA), this legislation formally authorizes and provides stability for CISA’s Cybersecurity Education Training Assistance Program (CETAP).
• Small Manufacturer Cybersecurity Enhancement Act (S.4598): Introduced by Senators Rosen and Young (R-IN), S.4598 authorizes the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Director of NIST, to provide funds to Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Centers for the provision of cybersecurity services to small manufacturers.
• The HACKED Act (S.2775) and the CYBER LEAP Act (S.3712): Introduced by Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) and co-led by Senator Rosen, these two bills that improve the cyber workforce and establish cyber grand challenges, respectively.
Senator Rosen’s submitted requests included in the final FY21NDAA include:
• NO Yucca Mountain funding.
• Providing new Central Standby Generator for Creech Air Force Base.
• Authorizing funding for cooperative missile defense programs with Israel.
Provisions in the FY21 NDAA based on bills and amendments Senator Rosen co-sponsored include:
• Does NOT include funds for explosive nuclear weapons testing preparation. Senator Rosen co-sponsored a Senate NDAA amendment that would strip $10 million for a resumption of explosive nuclear weapons testing preparation.
• Allows the creation of a U.S.-Israel working group on operations and technology issues to facilitate cooperation between the U.S. and Israeli companies on defense acquisition and innovation. This provision is based on the United States-Israel Military Capability Act (S.3775), bipartisan legislation that Senator Rosen co-sponsored.
• Includes the U.S.-Israel Security Assistance Act of 2020 (S.3176), a package of reforms that Senator Rosen co-sponsored that codifies $500 million in U.S. assistance to Israel under the U.S.-Israel MOU for eight years.
• Requires the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study on military aviators and aviation support personnel to determine the incidence of cancer diagnosis and mortality among such aviators and personnel.
• Creates an Intergovernmental Executive Committees (IEC) for the Fallon Range Training Complex (FRTC) and the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). These committees will allow local, state and tribal governments a public forum to collaborate with the military in providing advice and exchanging information on the management of natural and cultural resources within the public lands used for military purposes. This provision is based on an amendment that Senator Rosen co-sponsored.
Other key provisions include:
• Providing our troops with a three-percent pay-raise.
• Authorizing $732 billion in discretionary spending for national defense.
• Authorizing $29 million for military construction projects for Naval Air Station Fallon.
• Authorizing $16 million for new military construction projects for the Nevada National Security Site.
• Increasing MQ-9 procurement to prevent termination without a request. The MQ-9 is stationed at Creech Air Force Base.
• Maintaining the status quo land withdrawals for the Fallon Range Training Complex (FRTC) and the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) for twenty five years, and directing the Departments of the Navy and Air Force to continue to work with the committees of jurisdiction, the Nevada congressional delegation, State, and Tribal stakeholders to secure a mutually-agreed upon expansion at FRTC and NTTR.
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