Provisions by Kilmer Included in National Defense Authorization Act
Representative Derek Kilmer, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, successfully fought for projects and priorities included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that passed in the US House today on a bipartisan vote of 315-108. The NDAA sets funding levels, expenditures, and other provisions for the Department of Defense. Projects spearheaded by Representative Kilmer include upgrades to local military installations.
“I am proud to have supported and helped pass this bill for two reasons. First, it furthers the goal of ensuring that our nation has the best trained, best equipped, most capable fighting force in the world. Second, it honors our commitment to the men and women who serve in and support our military and their families,” said Representative Derek Kilmer. “I’m proud to have fought for specific provisions that will help our nation defend itself, modernize the Department of Defense, and help the Armed Services end sexual assault. There are some areas where the bill can continue to be improved, and I will work with my partners in the Senate to strengthen it in the months ahead.”
Representative Kilmer led the effort to include the following provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act:
Upgrades to Local Military Installations
Representative Kilmer successfully fought for improvements and additions to local military installations including Dry Dock infrastructure at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and updating structures to help maintain and service the military’s nuclear submarines at Naval Base Kitsap – Bangor. Adequate and timely funding for these projects help the military continue their national security mission and ensure military construction projects are in compliance with environmental and safety standards.
Information Technology Exchange Program
Representative Kilmer sponsored a bill, included in the NDAA, to support the sharing of information technology expertise between the Department of Defense, and private industry. The IT Exchange Program is designed to help modernize the Department of Defense by exposing its employees to best practices from the constantly changing and evolving informational technology sector, especially in key areas like cloud computing, cyber security, information technology consolidation, network services, information technology project and data management, and enterprise architecture.
Supporting the Education and Training of Qualified Cyber Personnel
Representative Kilmer fought for provisions to ensure the United States is properly developing enough cyber security professionals to meet the country’s growing needs by assessing its program of certifying higher learning institutions and assessing current and proposed training standards for cyber operations.
Infrastructure Development for Strategic Seaports like the Port of Tacoma
Representative Kilmer supported a bipartisan amendment to help the Port of Tacoma and other strategic seaports apply for infrastructure development grants.
Additionally, Representative Kilmer fought for or cosponsored the following provisions in the NDAA:
Strengthening Efforts to Eliminate Sexual Assault within the Armed Services
Representative Kilmer cosponsored several bills included in the National Defense Authorization Act to help strengthen the Armed Services’ efforts to end sexual assault. Specific provisions included in the NDAA include protection against reprisals for reporting a sexual assault crime, protections for sexual assault victims in the Coast Guard, stripping commanding officers of their unilateral authority to alter or throw out a court-martial conviction, dishonorably discharging those found guilty of sexual assault, providing improved training for all military and civilian attorneys involved in sexual assault cases, and providing legal assistance to victims.
Congressional Oversight of Drone Strikes
Representative Kilmer cosponsored this provision that requires the Administration to notify Congressional defense committees when there are targeted lethal operations by U.S. military overseas. It will also require a report outlining all legal and policy considerations relating to the use of force by the U.S. military against terrorists overseas.
A 1.8 Percent Pay Raise for Service Members
Representative Kilmer strongly supported a pay increase for service members in acknowledgement of their sacrifice and as part of an overall retention strategy.
Despite the provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act fought for by Representative Kilmer, he hopes that some provisions will be changed or fixed as the Senate continues to work on the bill.
Representative Kilmer said, “One thing this bill does not fix is the damaging across-the-board cuts resulting from sequestration. Many folks in our region continue to struggle because Congress still has not done its job to pass a budget. That needs to change. I will continue to work with my colleagues across the aisle to replace these non-strategic cuts with a balanced, bipartisan, long-term budget.”