Today, Rep. John R. Carter (R-TX-31) praised the Senate for passing the conference report between the House and the Senate on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The House passed the conference report last week with bipartisan support. The bill will now go to President Obama, who has threatened to veto this bipartisan legislation.

“It is outrageous for President Obama to veto this very important, bipartisan legislation that supports our military, strengthens our national security and keeps GITMO prisoners out of the United States,” said Rep. Carter. “Time and time again we have seen President Obama’s foreign policy failures put our nation at risk, while strengthening our enemies abroad. At a time when Russia is filling the void in global leadership, once proudly held by the United States, President Obama fails the American people and our allies yet again. I encourage the President to rethink his veto threat and stand on the side of our brave military men and women, and to stand up for our great nation’s security.”

“I am proud that my amendment to allow members of our armed services to carry personal firearms at military installations, reserve centers and recruiting centers, remains in the NDAA bill that is headed to the President’s desk. After the tragedies at Ft. Hood, and this year in Chattanooga, I saw the need to empower installation commanders to decide what policy is best and who should be allowed to carry a concealed weapon for their personal or force protection. I have the utmost confidence in our senior military leadership and the Soldiers who serve and I trust they will use this new authority to improve security and prevent future tragedies.”

“I commend the Senate for doing what is right, and coming together in a bipartisan way to move forward this important package.”

Key points of the NDAA include:

• This Bill is consistent with the House Budget Resolution which meets the exact amount of defense dollars requested by the President.
• Rep. Carter’s Military Firearms Amendment.
  • Allows military post commanders to permit a member of the Armed Forces to carry appropriate firearms, including personal firearms, at Department of Defense installations, reserve centers, and recruiting centers. The Secretary of Defense must implement a policy to empower post commanders no later than December 31, 2015.
• Expands Military Retirement.
  • Agreed on changes that provide additional retirement options to individuals who serve the nation for a period of less than 20 years.  For the first time, this plan would allow the 83 percent of service members not eligible for military retirement to participate in a retirement plan.
• Military Basic Allowance for Housing.
  • Preserves Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for dual-military couples.
  • Maintains the tax-free BAH benefit in the long-term, preserves payments to cover 95 percent of estimated housing expenses, which is a 1% annual reduction per year for four years versus the proposed 4% immediate one-time reduction.
• TRICARE Pharmacy.
  • Rejected more than 60 percent of the proposed increases to Tri-Care Pharmacy co-pays supported by the President and the Senate.
• BRAC.
  • Did not authorize the President and Department of Defense’s request for another round of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) efforts.
• Force Structure.
  • Directs a new capacity study that reflects the current threat profile and makes conservative assumptions about future end strength (there is specific language that forces the Army to assess how troop reductions impact their ability to execute the National Security Strategy)
• GTMO.
  • Reauthorizes the prohibitions against transferring Guantanamo Bay (GTMO)detainees to the United States and against building detention facilities in the United States.
  • Limits the Secretary of Defense’s ability to transfer GTMO detainees by reverting to the stronger transfer policy established in the FY13 NDAA.
• Ukraine.
  • Authorizes $300 million over two years to the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative of which $50 million is intended for lethal assistance.
• Russia.
  • Increased funding for U.S. intelligence and warning capabilities, technologies supporting U.S. information operations and strategic communications activities, the Javelin missile system, and Stryker combat vehicle upgrades.
• Iran.
  • Extends the “Iran Military Power Report” for 10 years, reflecting the Conferee’s view that Iran’s illicit pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability and its malign military activities constitute a grave threat to regional stability and U.S. national security interests.
  • Requires the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the President, to submit a strategy to counter unconventional warfare threats being posed by Iran.
• Central America.
  • Allocates $30 million for Department of Defense-unique capabilities in areas such as aerial and maritime capabilities, building partnership capacity, and the detection and monitoring of illicit trafficking to complement Department of State efforts in Central America.  Provides an additional $20 million for SOUTHCOM ISR requirements.
• Army Modernization.
  • Provides additional funding to address an Army unfunded requirement and urgent operational need to procure and develop improved countermeasures to better protect deployed Apache attack helicopters against the latest and most lethal threats (to include those our troops face right now in the Middle East).
  • Accelerates rotorcraft modernization for the Army National Guard, and recommends additional funding for UH-60M Blackhawks for the Army National Guard.
• Russian RD-180 Rocket Engines.
  • Expresses the concern that reliance on Russian-designed rocket engines is no longer acceptable.  Authorizes $184.4M for the development of a new, U.S. rocket propulsion system, and directs the Air Force to move faster than it is planning to end reliance on Russian rocket engines.

For more information on the NDAA bill passed today, please visit: https://rules.house.gov/sites/republicans.rules.house.gov/files/114/PDF/114-CRHR1735-SxS.pdf

Rep. Carter represents Texas District 31, which includes Fort Hood, the largest military installation in the free world. He serves as Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Appropriations, is on the Subcommittee for Commerce, Justice and Science and the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. 

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