Five Bipartisan Brindisi Bills, Millions for Upstate Defense Jobs Pass The House In Critical Must-Pass National Defense Authorization Act

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July 21, 2020
Press Release

Congressman’s Legislation Advances Upstate Priorities, Strengthens Domestic Manufacturing, Expands Mental Health Care for Servicemembers, Holds China Accountable

 

Brindisi: Upstate New York is Vital to Our National Defense; I Will Always Work to Support Our Troops

 

Congressman Anthony Brindisi today passed the Mac Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021 through the House, including five pieces of bipartisan, Brindisi-authored legislation. Brindisi also secured more than $30 million to support Upstate employers and create good-paying jobs in the region.

 

Brindisi, a member of the powerful House Armed Services Committee, fought to include Upstate priorities in this year’s legislation.

 

“Keeping the American people safe is my top priority. From the vital research done at Rome Lab to the military helicopters manufactured in the Southern Tier, Upstate New York plays a major role in our national defense,” said Brindisi. “We secured five pieces of bipartisan legislation in this year’s NDAA to bring manufacturing jobs back home to the U.S. and expand mental health care for our men and women in uniform. America is home to the strongest military in the world, and our legislation will ensure they have the tools, resources, and intelligence they need to serve our country.”

 

A summary of Brindisi’s bills and Republican co-leads is below:

  • Care and Readiness Enhancement (CARE) for Reservists Act, co-lead with Congressman John Katko (NY-24), Congressman Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14), and former Congressman Mark Meadows (NC-11): Allows members of the Guard and Reserve to access VA Vet Centers for mental health screening and counseling, employment assessments, education training, and other services to help them return to civilian life. 
  • Seeding Rural Resilience Act, co-lead with Congressman John Katko (NY-24): Addresses the suicide epidemic in rural farming communities by training USDA employees to recognize farmer mental health crises, establishing a national PSA on rural mental health, and developing best practices to address farmer mental health.
  • Military Mental Health Stigma Reduction Act, co-lead with Congressman John Katko (NY-24): Requires DoD to submit report on its efforts to reduce the stigma of seeking mental health treatment for PTSD, suicidal thoughts, or other mental health conditions for servicemembers. 
  • Strengthening American Manufacturing Act, co-lead by Congressman David McKinley (WV-01): Requires DoD to report annually on its use of Domestic Non-Availability Determinations, which it uses to circumvent Buy American/Berry Amendment Requirements. 
  • South China Sea Freedom of Navigation Act, co-lead by Congressman Troy Balderson (OH-12), Congressman Bradley Byrne (AL-1), and Congressman Michael Waltz (FL-6): Updates the existing Freedom of Navigation Operations report to include U.S. overflight operations, and a description of each excessive Chinese territorial claim in order to highlight successes of the U.S. military contesting excessive Chinese claims and create an ongoing public record of China’s malign actions in the South China Sea.

In addition to Brindisi’s bills, he secured language to support Upstate businesses and promote defense manufacturing jobs in NY-22. A summary of his bipartisan measures included in the NDAA is below:

  • Authorized $30 million for three critical Quantum Innovation and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) projects at Rome Lab
  • Secured additional funding to support cutting edge manufacturing projects and jobs at Lockheed Martin in the Southern Tier and Raytheon in Rome
  • Secured language seeking to protect Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) against workforce reductions by directing the Department of Defense to collaborate closely with Congress about any decisions that would affect DFAS workforce levels
  • Co-sponsored a bipartisan amendment with Rep. Trent Kelly (MS-01) to ensure the Air Force cannot transfer any Air National Guard personnel or assets until it submits a plan for establishing a reserve component of the Space Force. This will protect the 222nd Command and Control Squadron in Rome and ensure they will continue to be a critical piece of our military’s space operations.
  • Secured $88 million in funding for an additional High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) system, which will defend American naval vessels against drones, small boats and cruise missiles. Parts of the system will be manufactured by Lockheed Martin in Owego, NY.

Last year, Brindisi included provisions in the NDAA that lead to robust investment in Rome Lab, including crucial funds for a Quantum Center and their security perimeter, as well as strong funding for programs that create good-paying jobs in the Southern Tier. Additionally, Brindisi secured big wins for Upstate in last year’s NDAA when President Trump signed his SPOONSS Act signed into law.

Issues: 
National Security & Defense, Jobs & the Economy