House Passes Delgado Priorities in National Defense Authorization Act

Statement

Today, U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado (NY-19) voted to give our troops the largest pay raise in a decade and support critical defense priorities through the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill included two Delgado amendments that increase cooperation between the military and small farmers and increase funding for military research and development at local universities.

During consideration of the bill, Delgado offered an amendment aimed at creating more opportunities for small farmers to get their products in military cafeterias and commissaries across the country. The amendment requires a Defense Logistics Agency and Defense Commissary Agency report on the status of current programs and practices relating to small farms, and beginning, veteran, and minority farmers and opportunities and barriers to expanding their use.

Another Delgado amendment authorized a $5 million increase in funding for partnerships between local universities and industry research centers established by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). University Affiliated Research Centers (UARC) are university-led collaborations between universities, industry, and Army laboratories that conduct technology demonstration research to identify breakthroughs that will enable revolutionary capabilities for our service members.

"It is critical that we support our men and women in uniform who sacrifice so much to keep us safe. I was proud to join my colleagues in voting to give our troops the highest pay increase in a decade, and make strategic investments in our military. In addition, this year I amended the NDAA to include support for small farmers to expand opportunities to support and feed our men and women in uniform. Also, a bipartisan coalition voted to include my amendment that expands support for military research and development at colleges and universities." said Delgado. "I will continue to make supporting our service members a top priority."

Today, the House passed H.R. 2500, the NDAA bill which secures a strong national defense built on key priorities while advancing American values, maintaining a tough stance on Russia, and continuing collaboration with allies. The 2020 NDAA also includes numerous provisions to take care of military families, improve military housing, clean up PFAS-contaminated drinking water at military bases, and require DoD to issue a strategy on countering Russian election interference in the 2020 elections. This NDAA also requires DoD to take a number of steps to both address climate change and fund mitigation activities.

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