NDAA Defense Bill Passes Senate, Bill Will Benefit Texas Servicemembers & Their Families

WASHINGTON– U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement after the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020 passed the Senate:

“The United States has the strongest military in the world because we consistently prioritize resources for our men and women in uniform,” said Sen. Cornyn.  “This legislation sends a clear message to the nearly one in eleven U.S. servicemembers who call Texas home that we are devoted to them and their families, and we are committed to setting our military up for success on the ever-evolving 21^st century battlefield.”

Background:

The National Defense Authorization Act for FY2020 would:

• Raise troops’ pay by 3.1 percent, the largest pay raise for our military in a decade.
• Authorize $400 million for military construction projects in Texas, including:
  • A new powertrain facility at Corpus Christi Army Depot;
  • A new central energy plant, vehicle bridge, and barracks at Fort Hood;
  • A new microgrid at Camp Swift;
  • New barracks, an aquatics tank, Air Force Personnel Center B wing, and modernized training facilities at Joint Base San Antonio; and
  • The authority for a new dining facility and air traffic control tower at Joint Base San Antonio.
• Authorize 90 new F-35 Joint Strike Fighters built by Texans in Fort Worth.
• Support full funding for the B-21 long-range strike aircraft program development, many of which will be stationed at Dyess Air Force Base in the future.
• Facilitate absentee voting for military personnel overseas by ensuring servicemembers are provided ballots, registration cards, and instruction on how to vote in their registered state.
• Protect Texas critical infrastructure and mass transit from foreign threats.
• Establish a Tenant Bill of Rights for servicemembers and families living on base and develop a dispute resolution process.
• Prioritize access to high quality public education for military children through increased DOD supplemental impact aid, especially for disabled military children.
• Support working military dogs at Lackland Air Force Base by authorizing veterinary check-ups for all retiring working dogs.
• Support small businesses owned by spouses of deceased veterans by allowing them to retain their contract preference status after death regardless of the degree of disability the servicemember experienced