Major Defense Bill Passes House, Includes Kilmer-backed Initiatives
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A major defense bill that includes measures championed by Representative Derek Kilmer passed the House of Representatives today. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (NDAA) contains proposals from Rep. Kilmer, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, to encourage the use of innovative timber projects by the military and make coordination easier for cyber and information technology ranges in the Department of Defense (DOD), among other items.
The final bill that passed the House also includes Rep. Kilmer’s amendments to authorize overtime for civilian shipyard workers overseas and an amendment to prevent furloughs for federal Department of Defense employees paid through Working Capital Funds. The NDAA sets funding levels, expenditures, and other authorizations for the Department of Defense. Once the Senate has passed their own version of the NDAA a conference committee will be set up to work out differences between the two bills.
“Today, the House came together to pass a bipartisan bill important to all our servicemembers,” said Kilmer. “It helps ensure our fighting force is the best trained and equipped in the world while honoring our commitment at home to the men and women who serve. This legislation aids our ongoing pivot to Asia as well by making the needed investments to ensure that America’s Navy continues to play a role in that mission. We also secured provisions to maximize our cyber capabilities to boost defense and jobs and encourage the military to invest in innovative timber products.”
“Every day, the military’s civilian workforce keeps our armed forces running smoothly,” continued Kilmer. “It’s not fair to ask workers at our nation’s shipyards to go overseas and make needed carrier repairs without the overtime they receive in the United States. It’s also not right to furlough workers paid through capital funds – especially when it does not save the government money. I’m proud that my colleagues from both parties backed these common sense amendments.”
Kilmer’s two amendments to the NDAA seek to:
- Prevent furloughs: Kilmer’s Working Capital Fund amendment would ensure that thousands of workers across the country would not face unpaid leave days due to furloughs as a result of across-the-board budget cuts. More than 170,000 Department of Defense civilian employees, including more than 1,000 in Washington state, are paid using working capital funds. Working Capital Funds do not receive direct funding through the annual appropriations process but by fees collected from customers for goods and services these civilian workers provide.
- Authorize overtime: Kilmer’s other amendment would authorize overtime payments for shipyard workers who conduct nuclear maintenance on the U.S. aircraft carrier stationed in Japan. Shipyard workers at the Puget Sound Shipyard who volunteer to go overseas will lose the ability to collect overtime from the Navy this September without an extension from Congress.
Kilmer also worked with his colleagues on the armed services committee to continue key investments in the United States Navy. The bill that passed the House maintains a fleet of 11 aircraft carriers while fully funding the Ohio-class submarine replacement program.
Kilmer successfully helped secure more than $120 million for construction projects at local military installations in the bill that passed committee. Those include updating water treatment systems at Naval Base Kitsap, continuing the construction of the explosives handling wharf at Naval Base Kitsap Bangor, and improvements to the Navy’s Forward Operation Location in Port Angeles. Adequate and timely funding for these projects will help the military continue its national security mission and ensure military construction projects are in compliance with environmental and safety standards.
Washington state’s 6th District is home to more than 25,000 active duty and reserve service members, along with more than 50,000 veterans and their families. Naval Base Kitsap, the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, and many other important facilities and vessels are located in the 6th District. Many residents (both civilian and servicemembers) also work at nearby Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) - Washington state’s third largest employer.
Kilmer’s cyber range initiative included in the NDAA would require the DOD to begin specific improvements to the way cyber ranges are managed across the agency. Cyber ranges are networks used by DOD military, civilian, and contractor personnel for a variety of actions – including training for combat situations and researching new technology breakthroughs in the cyber security arena.
The NDAA bill that passed the House also includes Kilmer’s call for DOD to utilize innovative building materials such as cross-laminated timber (CLT) for construction. The use of CLT could help reduce future building costs, improve environmental impact, strengthen structures in the face of seismic disturbances, and revitalize our nation’s timber industry. Representative Kilmer worked with environmental groups, timber producers, land owners, and green building advocates to draft a provision that was included in the committee report to encourage the DOD to use innovative building materials like Cross Laminated Timber.
Rep. Kilmer also successfully fought to include the following provisions in the NDAA bill that cleared the House of Representatives:
- Sustaining Graduate Medical Education at Naval Hospital Bremerton: The Navy has proposed reductions at Naval Hospital Bremerton, an institution used by many local veterans and Navy personnel. The NDAA includes language to maintain the level of physicians enrolled in the Navy’s graduate medical education program currently based at Bremerton.
- Freeing Digital Spectrum to Power Innovation: Private businesses are increasingly interested in obtaining additional spectrum to increase broadband access and improve services for consumers. The DOD reserves a large amount of spectrum that could be used by the private market if made available. A provision backed by Kilmer in the NDAA would encourage the department to utilize prizes to encourage the DOD to identify the best approaches to freeing up spectrum.
- Making it Easier for Veterans to Access Records: Veterans of the National Guard have faced setbacks when trying to access their complete service records. The NDAA authorizes a study by the Government Accountability Office to examine the problem and recommend solutions.
- Supporting defense-related businesses: The government requires that large companies who win defense contracts use small businesses for subcontracted work on the projects. Representative Kilmer, working with other members, was able to secure a provision that allows large businesses to reduce overhead costs associated with complying with the government small business reporting requirements.
- Expanding 21st Century IT systems: Information Technology is growing in its importance to military strength. In order to maintain our edge Representative Kilmer worked on two IT provisions that have been included in the NDAA. With Representative Niki Tsongas of Massachusetts, Representative Kilmer was able to advocate for the use of commercial cloud solutions that could result in cost savings and quality improvements. Additionally, Representative Kilmer was successful in obtaining a provision that encourages the expanded use of supercomputers to aid research, development, testing and engineering efforts.
- Improving the Regulatory Process: Representative Kilmer was successful in securing a provision that would require a study looking into the root causes of DOD actions to establish regulations that provide industry an opportunity to comment before they are finalized.
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