From July 14, 2022 post
The package includes Pappas’s amendments to stop PFAS contamination, protect veterans and servicemembers from toxic exposure, limit the sale of F-16s to Turkey, and ensure members of the National Guard and Reserve receive the benefits they have earned
Today, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), helped to pass the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act in the House. "Passing the National Defense Authorization Act is essential to ensure the safety and security of the American people, " said Congressman Pappas. "This year's authorization passed the House in an overwhelmingly bipartisan fashion, includes the pay raise our troops deserve, and will strengthen our alliances and competitiveness abroad. I'm proud that provisions I introduced to stop PFAS contamination, protect veterans and servicemembers from toxic exposure, limit the sale of F-16s to Turkey, and ensure members of the National Guard and Reserve receive the benefits they have earned were included in the package as well. As this legislation moves to the Senate, I urge my colleagues to retain these critical provisions and swiftly come to an agreement on a final bill.
"The 2023 National Defense Authorization Act will invest in the security of the American people, restore U.S. alliances and partnerships, and strengthen our global competitiveness by:
Authorizing $839 billion for national defense across the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and other agencies,Reauthorizing the Coast Guard for FY 2023,Including a 4.6% pay raise for service members and civilians, as well as inflation bonuses for service members and civilians earning less than $45,000 per year,
Supporting military personnel by taking action to combat sexual assault in the military, reduce the cost of housing, health care, and other essentials for military personnel and families, and expand access to mental health care,
Improving defense industrial base resiliency and supporting small businesses by codifying and making permanent the DoD Mentor Protégé Program, which partners large businesses with small businesses to help them navigate the defense acquisition system,
Authorizing an additional $100 million to strengthen the domestic supply chain for critical elements of microelectronics production, in addition to a study and pilot program focused on semiconductors in the National Defense Stockpile and,
Investing in clean water by requiring the DoD to take additional actions to minimize the use of non-essential PFAS and PFOA, set goals for the timely clean-up of formerly used defense sites that fall under the military munitions response program, and requiring the DoD to adhere to the strictest relevant standards when conducting environmental remediation of PFAS contamination.
Pappas helped shape this legislation by offering amendments that include:
Provisions to enact his bipartisan PFAS Registry Act, which would direct the Department of Veterans Affairs to create a national database for service members and veterans with health concerns due to potential exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
Provisions to enact his bipartisan Clean Water Standards for PFAS Act of 2022, which would further regulate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by setting deadlines for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop water quality criteria and limits on industrial PFAS discharges into water and to water treatment plants.
Provisions to enact his bipartisan Record of Military Service for Members of the Armed Forces Act, which would help National Guard and Reserve members receive the benefits they've earned by ensuring they are provided the same DD-214 form as other members of the Armed Forces following their retirement or completion of service.
Provisions to conduct a study to assess whether individuals assigned to the Pease Air Force Base and Pease Air National Guard Base experience a higher-than-expected rate of cancer-related morbidity and mortality. The study would cover individuals assigned to the base during the period 1970 through 2020, and include those in an active duty or reserve component, or the National Guard.
Provisions to require coordination between the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Environmental Protection Agency, to proactively educate and protect active duty personnel from future exposures. The departments will be required to make active duty personnel aware of the potential risks of toxic exposure, and ways to prevent such exposures. These forward-looking provisions ensure that DOD and VA create a strategy for awareness and prevention of toxic exposures that will protect our active duty service members from harm, save lives, and lower VA costs associated with toxic exposure cases moving forward.
Provisions to limit the sale of F-16s to Turkey, which would stop President Biden from selling F-16s to Turkey and put in place needed Congressional oversight to ensure that Turkey does not use F-16s to violate Greece's sovereignty.
Original source can be found here.
