Key Braley-Authored Provisions Included in House-Passed Defense Bill

Legislation includes Braley-championed policies to reform the military justice system, develop accounting of the true cost of war, and protect vets from home foreclosure

Washington, D.C. – The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that passed the US House of Representatives this afternoon included provisions authored by Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) to help reform the military justice system and provide greater transparency of the cost to taxpayers of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The legislation also includes a 1.8  percent pay raise for American troops.

“While I have serious concerns about the Defense Authorization Act’s continued support for military operations in Afghanistan that should have ended long ago, I supported the bill because of the many good, bipartisan provisions included in it,” Braley said. “I’m proud that provisions were included to reform the military justice system and require a full accounting of the true costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Additionally, if this bill is signed into law, veterans will receive additional protections from home foreclosure and our troops will receive a pay raise.

“This bill is a step forward for many Iowans in uniform and many veterans, and I’m encouraged to see these provisions move a step closer to implementation today.”

The National Defense Authorization Act included several key provisions championed by Braley:

Reform the military justice system. The Defense Authorization Act included language that removes the ability of military commanders to unilaterally overturn convictions or lessen sentences handed down by judges and juries at courts martial. These changes were first proposed by Reps. Braley, Jackie Speier (D-CA), and Patrick Meehan (R-PA) in the Military Judicial Reform Act introduced in March. They were prompted by the decision of an Air Force lieutenant general to overturn a sexual assault conviction of an airman who’d been found guilty and sentenced to a year in prison by a jury of his peers at Aviano Air Base in Italy.

Require a full accounting of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Defense Authorization Act included a bipartisan amendment written by Reps. Braley and Walter Jones (R-NC) that would require a full accounting of the human and financial costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The amendment passed by voice vote.

Improve protections for servicemembers against home foreclosure. The Defense Authorization Act included provisions that would better protect servicemembers, surviving spouses, and disabled veterans against mortgage foreclosures. For years, Braley has been fighting for improvements in such protections for veterans, starting with the introduction of the Protecting Veterans Homes Act in 2011.