Press Releases

 

Today, Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10) supported the FY21 NDAA Conference Report.

“I am proud to support this year’s National Defense Authorization Act that puts America first. I’ve worked with my colleagues across the aisle to achieve this final bill, which invests $58.5 million in infrastructure at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, addresses the Department of Defense’s needs in the pandemic, modernizes the nuclear triad, increases diversity within our ranks, and includes provisions to prevent military sexual assault.”

Turner championed the following initiatives that were included in the FY 2021 NDAA Conference Report:

 

Military Construction

• Provides $35 million in military construction funding for an Energy Resilience and Conservation Investment Program (ERCIP) project to construct an Intelligence Facility Central Utility Plant on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

• Provides $23.5 million in military construction funding for the replacement of the aging and inadequate hydrant fuel system serving the west ramp at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. 

COVID-19

• Ensures service members have the diagnostic equipment, testing capabilities and PPE they need, along with providing medical surge capacity in certain healthcare facilities and provides health benefits to members of the National Guard supporting the COVID-19 response.

• Expands the ability for the VA to provide legal assistance for veterans and dependents, and healthcare via telemedicine, a vital resource for veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Permits federal employees to carry over leave unused due to COVID-19.

Funding Initiatives

• Fully funds the Administration’s budget request for the National Nuclear Security Administration for FY 2021, permitting the Department of Energy, in conjunction with the Department of Defense, to undertake long overdue modernization of our Nuclear Triad, ensuring we have a safe, secure, and reliable nuclear deterrent well into the future. 

• Increases funding for the development of manufacturing processes to support 6.8mm tungsten carbide ammunition for the Next Generation Squad Weapon. 

• Increases funding by $5 million for the development of advanced battery technology for laser weapons and to establish domestic battery manufacturing capabilities focused on military requirements.

• Provides $1.02 billion to modernize 89 x U.S. Army Abrams Tanks.

• Increases funding by $375 million for the upgrade of additional Stryker A1 combat vehicles.

• Increases funding by $5 million to fund research to develop lightweight carbon composite wheels and brakes for Chinook Helicopters, enabling increased payload, extended range and/or fuel savings.

• Increases funding by $10 million for the Gorgon Stair Wide Area Motion Imagery program to better support global warfighter Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) demands.

• Increases Air Force research funding for the National Center for Hardware and Embedded Systems Security and Trust (CHEST) by $3 million.

• Provides funding for a total of 93 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.

Other Policy Initiatives

• Amends Title 10 to permit the recognition of individuals or entities who donate personal or real property to the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

• Limits the awarding of Department of Defense contracts to entities operating commercial terrestrial communications networks that cause harmful interference to DoD Global Positioning System devices.

• Initiates necessary steps to mitigate potential harmful interference to DoD GPS devices resulting from commercial terrestrial operations.

• Directs the Secretary of Defense to enter into contract with a Federally Funded Research and Development Center to conduct annual studies on the nuclear capacity of foreign states.

• Directs the Department of Defense to report on the proposal for a layered homeland missile defense architecture in the FY 2021 budget request and the site specific fielding plan that assesses previously conducted environmental impact analysis.

• Directs that any star tracker system procured in connection with a satellite that supports national security, defense, or intelligence needs of the United States be domestically sourced.

• Prohibits the purchase and operation of certain foreign-made unmanned aircraft systems from countries, such as China, that pose a national security risk.

• Directs the Secretary of Defense to notify Congress of steps being taken by host countries with an at-risk 5G network, services, or software to include Huawei and ZTE, before the Department can base new weapons systems or forces in said host country.

United States Space Force Policy

• Directs the Secretary of Defense to report on the potential improvements to certain military educational institutions of the Department, including the ability of the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) to meet the graduate and continuing education requirements of the United States Space Force. 

• Establishes the function and composition of the Office of the Chief of Space Operations.

• Exempts the Space Force from levels of authorized senior enlisted service members until October 2023.

• Establishes the Chief of Space Operations as the responsible party for the procurement of commercial satellite communication services for the Department of Defense.

• Authorizes a one-time, $400 uniform allowance for officers transferring to the United States Space Force. 

 Oversight of the Department of Defense

• Requires Department of Defense notification to Congress for any changes to requirements of the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) program. 

• Expands reform efforts across the DOD to include the efficacy and efficiency of the Department as a whole as well as reforming the capability requirements process and weapon system sustainment activities. 

• Establishes a new requirement for quarterly briefings on eliminating the gaps and vulnerabilities in the National Technology and Industrial Base. 

PFAS

• Prohibits the Department of Defense from procuring certain covered items including consumable personal items and household goods that contain PFAS. 

• Requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology conduct a study on the use of PFAS chemicals in firefighting equipment and the risk of exposure faced by firefighters and creates a grant program for additional research and improvements to firefighting equipment to reduce exposure to PFAS.  

Military Family Housing

• Directs the Secretary of Defense, health subject matter experts, and surgeon generals to establish a working group to create best practices for mold mitigation in privatized military family housing. 

• Expands the Uniform code of Basic Standards for privatized military housing and hazard habilitation inspection and assessment requirements to government-owned and government-controlled military family housing.

• Requires the Department of Defense to disclose the criteria and metrics used to analyze the performance of housing companies that receive incentive fees and evaluate the metrics used to analyze the performance of landlords.

Personnel Policy

Mental Health

• Initiates mental healthcare reforms for service-members, family members and retirees and seeks to improve the effectiveness of suicide prevention programs in the DoD in light of high rates of military suicide.

 Sexual Assault Prevention and Response

• Directs the Defense Advisory Committee for the Prevention of Sexual Misconduct to review evidence-based studies and efforts amongst private employers to prevent sexual assault and sexual harassment in our military ranks.

• Directs the Department of Defense to maintain records of general and special courts-martial, regardless of outcome, for no less than 15 years.

• Directs the Secretary of Defense to report on the feasibility, advisability, and current practice (if any) of allowing victims of sexual assault who are in an academic setting to be placed in a non-rated period for their performance review.

• Implements a recommendation of the Defense Advisory Committee for the Investigation Prosecution and Defense of Sexual Assault in the Armed Forces to standardize and improve the accuracy of reporting data from the services on collateral misconduct discovered in connection with a sexual assault investigation.

• Directs the Department of Defense to report on the Special Victims Counsel Program, including staffing needs/shortfalls to meet demand for counsels and the feasibility of expanding the program further.

• Directs military service academies to establish separation policies under which an alleged victim and the accused minimize interaction allowing for the continuation of their program of study and training, should the alleged victim choose to not transfer—an authority that was enacted in the previous year.

• Expands the rights of victims of sexual assault and other crimes in the military by guaranteeing accurate and timely notice of any issues on appeal that may impact the interests of the victim.

Diversity and Inclusion

• Directs the Department of Defense to engage a Federally Funded Research and Development Center to study barriers to minority participation in elite units such as fighter squadrons and special forces.

• Directs the Secretary of Defense to carry out two-pilot programs—one for increased partnerships between military installations and satellite ROTC units at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), and one to award scholarships for flight training to ROTC members at HBCUs.

• Directs the Superintendents of the military service academies to establish a uniform online portal for Members of Congress to nominate individuals for appointment to each academy to increase transparency in the diversity of nominations.

• Directs the appointment of a Chief Diversity Officer of the Department of Defense.

• Directs the Secretary of Defense to report on the findings and recommendations of the Defense Board on Diversity and Inclusion in the Military and the actions the Secretary will take in response to such recommendations.

• Directs the Department of Defense to conduct a pilot partner country assessment on the barriers to female participation in the national security forces; directs the Secretary of Defense to encourage admitting diverse individuals, including women, to each military service academy; and, directs DoD engagement with civilian school and nonprofits to support activities related to implementing the Women, Peace, and Security act of 2017.

Other

• Increases military basic pay by 3% percent.  This is the first time since 2010 the military has received a 3% pay raise two years in a row.

• Provides annual reauthorization of the hazardous duty pay owed to troops deployed in combat zones.

• Addresses childcare shortage experienced by military families.

• Directs the Secretary of Defense to develop policies to ensure women in the military do not face unfair treatment or negative career repercussions due to pregnancy.

• Codifies the requirement for the DoD to report service members with felony domestic violence convictions to the National Instant Criminal Background Check system to ensure they are prohibited from purchasing firearms.

• Directs the Secretary of Defense to take actions necessary to ensure absentee voting by active duty military stationed at our embassies and consulates abroad. 

• Expands eligibility for the HUD-VA Housing Assistance Program to include veterans who were previously excluded.

• Extends paid parental leave to employees of the TSA and FAA.

 

##