Mr. Chair, I rise to speak on House consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018. I thank Chairman Thornberry and Ranking Member Smith and the Armed Services Committee…
Mr. Chair, I rise to speak on House consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018.
I thank Chairman Thornberry and Ranking Member Smith and the Armed Services Committee for their work on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018.
As a senior member of the House Committee on Homeland Security and Judiciary, I take our role in Congress as stewards of our nation's security seriously.
I offer my thanks and appreciation to the men and women of the armed services who place themselves in harm's way each day for the safety and security of our nation's people.
The National Defense Authorization Act's purpose is to address the threats our nation faces not just today, but into the future. This makes our work vital to our national interest and it should reflect our strong commitment to ensure that the men and women of our Armed Services receive the benefits and support that they deserve for their faithful service.
This bill encompasses a number of initiatives designed to confront the military challenges posed by violent extremism, terrorists engaging in ground wars, making more efficient the work of protecting America, addresses defense of our nation's computing networks and infrastructure, the medical health needs of men and women in the armed services, and extends economic and education opportunity to small minority and women owned businesses.
We live in a dangerous world, where threats are not always easily identified, and our enemies are not bound by borders.
Russia's aggression towards the United States has long been understood, but in 2016 the stakes were raised in terms of how far they would go to harm our nation and Democratic institutions when they interfered in our national election.
Since September 11, 2001, we have kept a steadfast commitment to ending the threat of global terror.
Boko Haram, ISIL, and AI Shabaab remind us of how fragile our nation's security could be without a well trained and equipped military.
The introduction of cyber offensive actions against the United States and our interest has altered the definition of war and with it our understanding about what is needed to combat a unique type of enemy that fights under no flag, for any nation, and can cause harm to computing networks.
I appreciate the House Armed Services Committee's continued support of our national defense and support a number of provisions in H.R. 1735, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018, such as authorities that support ongoing operations.
The amendments offered to this bill offered opportunities to address these and other Administration concerns that will improve the bill.
Let me discuss briefly the amendments I offered that were adopted by the House and included in the final version of the bill.
1. Jackson Lee Amendment No. 56 calls for increased collaboration with NIH to combat Triple Negative Breast Cancer and provides $10 million in appropriations.
2. Jackson Lee Amendment No. 76 dIrects the Department of Defense to prepare contingency plans to assist relief organizations in delivering humanitarian aid in South Sudan and to deescalate conflict.
3. Jackson Lee Amendment No. 83 directs the Secretary of Defense to prepare against deployment of North Korean nuclear ICBMs to prevent damage or destruction of satellites critical to U.S. national defense and global communications.
These Jackson Lee Amendments are straightforward, and make improvements to the bill.
There were 14 additional Jackson Lee Amendments that were not included in the Rule for consideration of the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act.
The Jackson Lee Amendments to H.R. 2810 are in four categories:
1. National Security Amendments that protect and promote national security, national defense and U.S. foreign policy interests;
2. Counterespionage and Deterrence Amendments that uphold the interests of American citizens at home and abroad.
3. Healthcare, technology and know-how, and Opportunities for Women Amendments that promote advances in PTSD and Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Research and Professional Development and Business opportunities for women.
4. Cybersecurity Amendments that support the work of the DOD to ensure defense of our nation against cyberattacks.
I have submitted six amendments that protect and promote national security, national defense or U.S. foreign policy interests:
1. Jackson Lee Amendment No. 175 authorizes the Secretary of Defense to provide technical assistance by U.S. military women to military women abroad combating terrorism, human and narcotics trafficking and their impact on women and girls.
2. Jackson Lee Amendment No. 166 condemns the actions of Boko Haram and directs the Secretary of Defense to provide technical assistance to Nigeria in establishing a central missing persons' database and a Victims Relief Fund.
3. Jackson Lee Amendment No. 187 expresses Sense of Congress that the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program is an important U.S. foreign policy and national defense instrument of value and asks Secretary of Defense to make maximum use of it.
4. Jackson Lee Amendment No. 184 directs Secretary of State to inform Congress of the feasibility of providing training, equipment and logistics to improve air traffic control systems in African countries where U.S. military operations require it.
5. The Jackson Lee Amendments No. 76 and No. 83 that were accepted by the Rules Committee and are under consideration by the House addressed the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, and North Korea's Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Program.
These six Jackson Lee amendments would have enhanced the effectiveness of the NDAA
by protecting and promoting U.S. foreign policy and national security interests.
I have submitted three amendments to defend against espionage and provide deterrence against threats to the United States:
1. Jackson Lee Amendment No. 177 authorized the Secretary of Defense to work with local partners in providing security at civilian nuclear research centers to assure nuclear weapons do not fall into the possession of terrorists or rogue nations.
2. Jackson Lee Amendment No. 181 required the Secretary of Defense to report to Congress the programs employed to ensure Department of Defense National Security Education Program students studying abroad are trained to recognize, resist, and report against foreign governmental recruitment efforts.
3. Jackson Lee Amendment No. 179 directed the Secretary of Defense to conduct and report to Congress the results of a study on whether requirement to notify Voting Action Officer within 10 days of registration in service member duty reassignment state imposes significant burden on military voters.
Two of these amendments sought to address known threats to our national interest and one would have assured that changes in voter registration rules for persons serving in the military would not impose an undue burden to their right to vote at a polling location instead of by absentee ballot.
Jackson Lee Amendment No. 177 (Secure Nuclear Material in developing nations)
There is a wide array of peaceful uses for nuclear material such as nuclear power plant power generation; radiation treatment for cancer and other medical conditions; as well as research at academic and research institutions.
China and India are both pursuing nuclear power as an option to dependence on fossil fuels, while oil-rich Gulf nations are considering nuclear power with the hope of exporting more oil.
There are 65 reactors being built around the world, and 69 percent of them are in Brazil, Russia, India and China.
India has no fossil fuel resources and is expanding its use of nuclear power to address shortfalls in electric generation capacity that is out stripped by economic growth.
India goal is to have nuclear power be the source for 50 percent of its electricity needs by 2050.
I have submitted six amendments to protect women and health:
4. Jackson Lee Amendment No. 224 provides $2.5 million increase in funding to combat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
5. Jackson Lee Amendment No. 180 enforces the title and section ``Minority and Business Ownership'' to include HUZ and disadvantaged businesses.
6. Jackson Lee Amendment No. 226 directs the Secretary of the Navy to report to Congress on the ability to apply desalination technologies for drought relief for both military and civilian purposes.
7. Jackson Lee Amendment No. 431 directs that the Office of Women's Business Ownership shall include a focus on outreach and engagement of minority women owned businesses.
All six of these amendments enhance the NDAA.
I have submitted two amendments to ensure greater cybersecurity capacity and resource allocation for the purpose of protecting America's Cyber Defense interest:
1. Jackson Lee Amendment No. 182 directs the Secretary of Defense to develop plans for early detection, mitigation, and defense against state-sponsored cyberattacks regarding elections and voter engagement efforts.
2. Jackson Lee Amendment No. 183 directs the Secretary of Defense to develop effective countermeasures to defend networks against attacks by cyber weapons.
Both of these Jackson Lee amendments offered improvements to the NDAA's protection of America's cyber security.
In addition to these Amendments, I am in support of the AUMF Amendment offered by Representatives Walter Jones and John Conyers that was not made in order by the Rules Committee.
Congress has an obligation to the American people to debate the issue of war.
Our military is now in theaters of war without Congressional approval which is in contravention to the Constitution because it states that only Congress has the power to declare war.
We must continue to direct our efforts as a body to ensure that our troops remain the best equipped and prepared military force in the world. They are not just soldiers they are sons and daughters, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters--they are some of the people we represent as Members of Congress. Support for them is a sacred obligation of Congress, both to those who are at risk on battlefields and serving as the guard against threats around the world, but they are also those who have returned home from war.
