Pasadena Lawmaker Votes In Favor of National Defense Authorization Act

Rep. Judy Chu (D-Pasadena) joined with the House of Representatives on Tuesday as they passed H.R. 6395, the William M. Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021. The NDAA authorizes $740.5 billion in defense spending at the Department of Defense and Department of Energy.

The bill includes a 3% pay raise for members of the military, $5 million for research into extreme weather, and a $1 billion Pandemic Preparedness and Resilience National Security Fund.

“Funding our military and providing for our national defense is one of the most important votes we take each year,” Chu said. “But while I believe we must support the men and women in uniform, and while this bill makes some important changes to the military, the price tag is still staggeringly high. I supported an amendment to trim the fat in this bill and bring our military spending more in line with our domestic spending, and I will continue to do so. But one thing this bill – passed with bipartisan support – proves is that we have the means and the ability to quickly provide billions of dollars to the economy, something that I hope my colleagues keep in mind as we begin consideration of additional COVID-19 legislation.”

The bill also improves sexual assault prevention and response, prohibits any assistance to the Saudi-led campaign in Yemen without a new AUMF, omits language that would prevent the closure of the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, and requires the DOD to change the names of all military bases named for Confederates.

This bill also establishes an annual limit on military construction funding that a President can redirect in an emergency of $100 million for domestic projects and $500 billion for overseas projects, with the exception of projects necessary to support public health.

Also included in the bill is the text of H.R. 2215, the San Gabriel Mountains Foothills and Rivers Protection Act, introduced by Chu.

The San Gabriel Mountains Foothills and Rivers Protection Act would expand the borders of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument to include the western Angeles National Forest. It would also establish a National Recreation Area to enhance conservation, increase access for all communities by connecting park poor areas to open space, and improve the management of the area through improved resources, education, and public engagement. The 30,659 acres of new and expanded wilderness areas will benefit from the highest form of protection of any federal wildland.