September 02, 2021

Congresswoman Sara Jacobs Secures Top Priorities in NDAA, Votes Against FY2022 Funding Increase

At the conclusion of today’s House Armed Services Committee markup, Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-CA-53) voted against H.R. 4350, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022.

After securing key provisions in the legislation to support military families and the San Diego military community, Congresswoman Jacobs ultimately voted against final passage in response to Ranking Member Rogers’ successful effort to increase the Pentagon budget by $23.9 billion above the Pentagon’s own funding request and above the level that was set forth in the original legislative text.

During debate on the Rogers Amendment, Congresswoman Jacobs stated, “for the last twenty years, we’ve been told ‘we need more.’ But I think it’s time to recognize that there are simply not military solutions to every problem.”

Following the vote, Congresswoman Jacobs issued the following statement:

“On the House Armed Services Committee and every day in Congress, I am honored to represent San Diego — my hometown and a proud military community. Throughout the drafting of this legislation and its markup today, I worked with my colleagues to ensure that the voices of our servicemembers and their families were heard and I am heartened that we secured a number of provisions to improve child care services and military housing, expand access to nutrition benefits for low-income servicemembers, and reform and improve the military’s handling of sexual assault cases, including the historic and much-needed step of removing these cases from the chain of command. 

“But after twenty years of war in Afghanistan, twenty years of our servicemembers and their families answering the call, trillions of dollars in funding from the American people, I can’t support another misguided effort to overflow the Pentagon’s budget beyond what our military leaders are even requesting.

“As this bill moves forward, I’ll continue to fight for our servicemembers and their families and for a responsible, balanced, and forward-looking defense budget.”

Congresswoman Jacobs secured a number of key priorities in H.R. 4350, (full text here), including improving child care access for military families, military housing, and Global Fragility Act implementation. Additionally, Congresswoman Jacobs worked with Congressman Jimmy Panetta to create a basic needs allowance to support low-income servicemembers who are currently not eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and with Congresswoman Jackie Speier to remove sexual assault cases from the chain of command. These critical measures were approved and will be considered by the full House.

NDAA Legislative Wins Championed by Congresswoman Sara Jacobs:

  • Amendment to Provide Income to Low-Income Service Members: Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to pay a basic needs allowance to qualified service members.
  • Amendment to Improve Child Development Centers: Requires the military departments to conduct safety inspections at Department of Defense Child Development Centers and develop 10-year facility improvement plans for these centers.
  • Amendment on Child Care Best Practices: Directs the Secretary of Defense to submit to Congress on the Pentagon’s efforts nationwide and across the military services to expand community relationships and partnerships with community-based childcare providers.
  • Amendment to Improve Global Fragility Act Implementation: Directs the Secretary of Defense to brief Congress on the progress of implementing the Global Fragility Act.
  • Amendment on the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces: Directs the Special Inspector General of Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) to evaluate the performance of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces during February 2020 to the end of August 2021.
  • Amendment to Authorize $15 Million for Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS): Authorizes $15 Million for MAFFS for critical wildfire capabilities, often used around the western United States, and provides upgrades that enhance effectiveness and efficiency.
  • Amendment on Impacts of Tijuana River Sewage: Directs the Secretary of the Navy to brief Congress on the impacts of Tijuana River sewage on the ability of training ranges in the region to meet joint force training requirements.
  • Amendment to Accommodate Tenants with Disabilities in Military Housing: Requires landlords to modify their housing units to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
  • Amendment to Provide Civilian Support for the Special Victims’ Counsel: Allows each Secretary of a military department to establish civilian support positions within each office of the Special Victims’ Counsel.
  • Amendment on Conditions of Unaccompanied Personnel Housing: Directs the Secretaries of the Air Force, Navy, and Army to submit a report to Congress on the conditions of unaccompanied personnel housing facilities. 
  • Amendment to Promote Defense Educational Partnerships: Directs the president of the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) to create a program to partner with outside entities to improve DAU curriculum and ensure training on operational challenges.
  • Amendment on Landing Gear System Oversight: Directs the Secretary of the Air Force to brief Congress on the Air Force’s efforts to reduce landing gear related mishaps.
  • Amendment on Naval Audit Service Oversight: Prohibits changes to the size or function of the Naval Audit Service until the Comptroller General of the United States completes a report on the operations of the Naval Audit Service.
  • Amendment to Report on National Guard Apportionment: Directs the Pentagon to submit a report on all of the factors that go into sending the National Guard to a given state.
  • Amendment on Adverse Effects of Dietary Supplements: Directs the Secretary of Defense to provide a report to Congress on the instances of adverse effects reported for dietary supplements.
  • Amendment to Extend Selected Acquisition Reports: Extends the requirement to submit selected acquisition reports, maintaining oversight. 
  • Amendment to Reduce Large Transport Aircraft Fuel Burn: Directs the Secretary of the Air Force to brief Congress on the Air Force’s strategy to reduce large transport aircraft fuel burn.