House Passes 2020 NDAA with Several Gallego Provisions
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the House of Representatives passed the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), including several provisions introduced by Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ).
Rep. Gallego also served on the House-Senate Conference Committee, responsible for reconciling differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill.
Rep. Gallego is available for interviews following passage of the FY 2020 NDAA.
"I'm proud to have taken a leadership role in finalizing this year's National Defense Authorization Act," said Rep. Gallego. "I am confident that the language Democrats included in this bill will help improve our military readiness, modernize our armed forces, preserve our national security, and provide the resources, equipment, and training our military needs to complete their missions."
Provisions in the FY2020 NDAA include:
Requires that U.S. active duty forces in the Republic of Korea not fall below 28,500 troops without a certification by the Secretary of Defense that any drop below that number is necessary to the national defense and will not significantly undermine allied security in the region. This language, authored by Rep. Gallego, is an increase from last year's requirement of a minimum 22,000 troops. The number was increased to mirror the current number of U.S. troops stationed in the region.
Opening additional avenues for victims of the 1983 Beirut Marine Corps barracks bombing to recover funds won in U.S. court decisions. Rep. Gallego fought to include in the conference bill this bipartisan provision was supported by Reps. Paul Cook (R-CA), Greg Pence (R-IN), Jared Golden (D-ME) and other Marines serving in the House of Representatives.
Authorizes full funding for the A-10 Warthog and an additional $1B funding for 12 additional F-35A aircraft. Rep. Gallego secured this language to ensure that Arizona's military priorities are recognized and funded. This bill will support these planes at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Luke Air Force Base, and Yuma Marine Corps Air Station.
Denies funding for any attempt by the President to withdraw from NATO, codification of a portion of a bill introduced by Rep. Gallego in February 2019. The language will prevent any funds from being used to "suspend, terminate, or provide notice of denunciation of" NATO.
Rep. Gallego also successfully championed other funding and policy priorities that made it into the final text, including a $724.3 million increase from the President's budget for the European Deterrence Initiative (EDI); a 47% increase in humanitarian demining funding; solidifying prohibitions on Huawei and ZTE in the defense supply chain; mandating consultation with native tribes if a DoD project will likely impact their land or sacred sites; barring the future naming of any DoD asset after leaders in the Confederacy or places made significant because of Confederate victories; and repeal of the widow's tax imposed on spouses of military service members killed in the line of duty.
Rep. Gallego also worked on the Conference Committee to issue a strong admonishment to the Department of Defense on their handling of the Niger ambush investigation. Rep. Gallego led Committee conferees to cite repeated delays in providing Congress with the report on the investigation into the incident and information on the disciplinary actions issued in connection with the incident. The conferees directed the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the Armed Services Committee by January 15, 2020.
Rep. Gallego is a Marine Corps combat veteran. He serves on the House Armed Services Committee.