Rosen Provisions Signed Into Law as Part of Annual Defense Authorization Bill

Press Release

Today, Congresswoman Jacky Rosen (NV-03), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after the President signed the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2019 into law.

"I'm thrilled to see my colleagues in the House and Senate work together to get this bipartisan legislation to the President's desk," said Rosen. "This bill gives our men and women in uniform the pay raise they deserve and will improve our military's aviation safety. I'm also happy to see my amendment, to close a dangerous loophole and make domestic violence a crime under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, become law. It is a top priority of mine to continue to support legislation that improves the lives of our Nevada military families and equips our servicemembers with the resources they need to keep our country safe and secure from any threat."

BACKGROUND: The Fiscal Year 2019 NDAA authorizes $639 billion in base funding for national defense. In addition, the bill authorizes approximately $69 billion of Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funds, zeroes out defense funding for Yucca Mountain waste repository, raises military pay by 2.6%, and increases funding for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) nuclear weapons activities, which includes the Nevada National Security Site. Rosen sent a letter to House-Senate Conferees urging Members to zero out any defense authorization for the Yucca Mountain project. Other highlights include:

Establishes Domestic Violence as a Crime Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ): The NDAA makes domestic violence a crime under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), as it is under federal civilian law. An NDAA amendment from Rosen, based on bipartisan legislation she introduced with Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) in December 2017, was passed by the House Armed Services Committee and the full House earlier this year. The Military Domestic Violence Reporting Enhancement Act (H.R. 4639) would prevent convicted domestic abusers from purchasing firearms by making domestic violence its own specific criminal offense, closing a dangerous loophole in the UCMJ. Prior to the enactment of this year's NDAA, a domestic violence conviction was categorized as assault because an article for domestic violence did not exist in the military code.

Establishes an independent National Commission on Military Aviation Safety: This provision establishes an independent National Commission on Military Aviation Safety in the wake of several devastating military aviation accidents, including the tragic loss of Thunderbirds pilot Major Stephen Del Bagno, whose F-16 crashed over the Nevada Test and Training Range earlier this spring. The Commission would be responsible for studying military aviation mishaps and making recommendations on required changes to training, maintenance, personnel, or other policies related to aviation safety.

Yucca Mountain Project Report on Impact to DOD/DOE Operations: Rosen's amendment, adopted in the House Armed Services Committee, directs the Secretaries of Defense and Energy to submit a report to the congressional defense committees on the impact that the Yucca Mountain Project would have on DOD/DOE operations at the Nevada Test and Training Range, Nevada National Security Site, and any other defense facilities in proximity to Yucca Mountain or the proposed nuclear waste transportation routes.

Funding for the Department of Defense Cyber Scholarship Program: Rosen's request reinvigorates DoD's Cyber Scholarship Program by $10 million which will benefit DoD's cyber workforce. U.S. Cyber Command and other DoD entities have testified before Congress of their inability to obtain the necessary workforce due to lack of competitiveness against industry and interest in DoD. Students receiving these funds owe DoD time post-graduation. Early age exposure to DoD and education of DoD's needs helps ensure our nation's cyber readiness.

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