The Annual Defense Package Includes Several Of Senator Rosen’s Provisions To Expand Benefits For Veterans And Gold Star Families, Bolster U.S. Defense Competition With China And Counter Its Cyber Threats
There Will Now Be A Conference Committee Between The U.S. House And Senate Versions To Agree On Final Version Of Legislation
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) voted to pass the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (NDAA), which includes numerous victories for Nevada and the United States that she fought to secure. The national defense package contains five of Senator Rosen’s bipartisan bills, as well as other amendments and provisions she championed. The legislation authorizes increased funding for our national defense and provides a 5.2% pay raise for our troops.
The package includes many Rosen-led victories, including provisions directly benefiting Nevada’s servicemembers and national security installations – such as design funding for military construction projects at Nellis Air Force Base (AFB), expanded mental health and family support services for those who have served at remote installations like Creech AFB and Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon, and the creation of new programs to strengthen our nation’s cybersecurity workforce and help scale our innovative and defense-centric small businesses.
“The Senate version of the bipartisan national defense bill contains much-needed provisions that deliver for our troops and strengthen our national security,” said Senator Rosen. “I was glad to secure key wins in this legislation to bolster America’s technological advantage, enhance our military competitiveness, and strengthen our alliances.”
Rosen-led and supported bipartisan bills included in the FY24 NDAA:
- Investing in American Defense Technologies Act: Establishes a federal public-private partnership pilot program to scale, support, and invest in American defense-centric small businesses producing advanced capabilities, including hypersonics, space, and autonomous systems. This program will help fuel cutting-edge defense technology production and make the United States more competitive with China.
- Maritime Architecture and Response to International Terrorism in the Middle East (MARITIME) Act: Requires the Department of Defense to develop a strategy between the U.S., Israel, and Arab partners and allies in the Middle East to counter maritime threats posed by Iran, violent extremist organizations, and criminal networks.
- Taiwan Cybersecurity Resiliency Act: Requires the Department of Defense to expand cybersecurity cooperation with Taiwan to help them counter cyber threats from China.
- Department of Defense Civilian Cybersecurity Reserve Act: Establishes a Civilian Cybersecurity Reserve pilot program to recruit qualified civilian cybersecurity personnel to serve in reserve capacities to ensure the U.S. government has the talent needed to defeat, deter, or respond to malicious cyber activity, especially at times of greatest need.
- Federal Data Center Enhancement Act: Requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to coordinate a government-wide effort to develop strong minimum requirements for federal data centers related to cyber intrusions, data center availability, mission-critical uptime, and resilience against physical attacks, wildfires, and other natural disasters.
- FEND Off Fentanyl Act: Requires the President to sanction drug cartels that are involved in international drug trafficking, including chemical suppliers in China and cartels in Mexico.
- END FENTANYL Act: Requires U.S. Customs and Border Patrol to update its drug interdiction guidance at least once every three years to ensure it’s up to date.
- Love Lives On Act: Ensures that surviving spouses of deceased servicemembers who choose to remarry do not have their survivor benefits taken away.
- RECA Act: Increases support for individuals exposed to radiation from above-ground nuclear weapons tests by expanding eligibility to any part of Nevada, increasing benefits, and extending the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act program before it is set to expire in May 2024. The RECA program has provided support to over 45,000 victims, including thousands of Nevadans.
- Jax Act: NDAA includes provisions of Senator Rosen’s Jax Act, requiring the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs to identify the female veterans who served on Cultural Support Teams (CSTs) with Special Operations Forces and those whose military records need to be modified to accurately reflect their combat service. This is an effort to ensure that those with service-connected injuries can gain access to the care and benefits they have earned. This would also require the VA Secretary to identify the CSTs whose disability claims have been denied by the VA due to their incomplete military records.
Other key Rosen-led and supported provisions included in the FY24 NDAA include, among others:
- No Funding for Yucca Mountain: Zero dollars authorized for defense nuclear waste storage at Yucca Mountain.
- New Facility at Nellis: Planning and design funding to construct a new F-35 Data Lab Support Facility at Nellis Air Force Base.
- New Hangar at Nellis: Planning and design funding to construct a new F-35 aircraft hangar at Nellis Air Force Base.
- Addressing Child Care Challenges at Creech and Fallon: Requiring the Secretary of Defense to issue a report on the availability of critical family support services, including overnight child care, at remote or isolated military installations like Creech AFB and NAS Fallon. Creech Airmen routinely support night operations, but lack access to child care outside of normal business hours.
- Mental Health Support for Creech Airmen: Urging the Secretary of Defense to establish a combat status for remotely piloted aircraft crews, like those at Creech AFB, to allow them access to combat-related benefits, such as mental health care services, once they separate from the military or the RPA community.
- Fair Reimbursement for Creech and Fallon Servicemembers: Encouraging the Secretary of Defense to update the Joint Travel Regulations for reimbursement purposes to account for the distance traveled to child care centers and schools, in addition to the distance traveled from home to base. This is especially important for servicemembers stationed at remote bases like Creech AFB and NAS Fallon, who must rely on critical family support services far from home in Las Vegas and Reno, respectively.
- Addressing Housing and Child Care Challenges at Creech: Requiring the Secretary of the Air Force to provide a report on the status of available housing and services at Creech AFB, as well as an update on plans to develop housing and child care services with the City of Las Vegas.
- Infrastructure Investments at Hawthorne: Encouraging the Secretary of the Army appropriately prioritizes investments to upgrade infrastructure at Hawthorne Army Depot. This follows Senator Rosen pressing the Secretary of the Army at a hearing earlier this year for commitments to invest in Hawthorne’s infrastructure. Last year, Senator Rosen announced she secured a small arms training range at the Depot for servicemembers in Nevada to be able to complete their annual weapons qualification.
- Improving Transition for Reservists and Guardsmen: Encouraging the Secretary of Defense to modify the process for Reservists and Guardsmen transitioning from Active Duty orders back to their Reserve status in order to better serve their needs and circumstances, such as the completion of any financial reimbursement for costs incurred during deployment.
- Enhancing U.S. Cybersecurity Partnerships: Requiring the Secretary of Defense to form a strategy for developing an integrated military cybersecurity partnership with allies and partners in the CENTCOM area of responsibility to defend against and eradicate hostile cyber activity.
- Expanding Health Screenings for Women Veterans: Authorizing $10 million for the VA Office of Women’s Health to expand access to mobile mammography initiatives, advanced mammography equipment, and outreach activities. Women veterans are nearly three times more likely to develop breast cancer than the rest of the population.
- Granting a Federal Charter to the National American Indian Veterans: Federally recognizing the National American Indian Veterans organization, which is dedicated to advocating for the interests and needs of Native American veterans.
- Improving the State Partnership Program: Directing the Department of Defense to conduct a study to better advance the program for building relationships and security partnerships across states and the private sector in critical areas like the Pacific.
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