Rosen Praises Bipartisan Senate Passage of National Defense Authorization Act with Key Nevada Priorities, Five Rosen Bills

Statement

Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) voted to pass the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (NDAA) and praised its passage with strong bipartisan support in the Senate. The $768.2 billion NDAA will deliver a 2.7% pay raise for our troops, increase parental leave to 12 weeks for all active duty servicemembers, and strengthen our national security. Senator Rosen helped shape the annual defense policy legislation as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

This year's package includes five of Senator Rosen's bipartisan bills -- two pieces of legislation to enhance U.S. cybersecurity capabilities, her bill to require disclosure of testing for toxic PFAS chemicals at or near military installations like Nellis and Creech Air Force Bases, her legislation to strengthen America's artificial intelligence capabilities, and her bill to reduce barriers for Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers seeking active duty opportunities. The United States-Israel Cybersecurity Cooperation Enhancement Act of 2021, the CISA Cyber Exercise Act, the Military PFAS Testing Disclosure Act, the Reservists Opportunity Act, and the Advancing American AI Innovation Act were all introduced by Senator Rosen and included in the final NDAA passed by the House and Senate.

The NDAA also includes key priorities for Nevada defense installations and servicemembers. The package authorizes $80 million for four MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft -- integral to Creech Air Force Base -- which Senator Rosen fought for in the Senate Armed Services Committee markup after the original legislation and President Biden's proposed budget failed to authorize funding for MQ-9 aircraft. The NDAA also authorizes $16.4 million for two new military construction projects at Creech Air Force Base that Senator Rosen included as one of her Congressionally Directed Spending requests during the appropriations process. It also authorizes $135 million for a major ongoing construction project at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) to safely verify the reliability of our nation's nuclear stockpile. Additionally, the bill includes $0 for the storage of defense nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain.

Finally, the NDAA includes provisions Senator Rosen wrote and added to the bill in the Senate Armed Services Committee to help junior enlisted troops with housing costs, based on the Senator's conversations with Airmen during recent visits to Nellis and Creech Air Force Bases. Additionally, it provides Senator Rosen's provision to support a long-term funding approach for the NNSS. Those provisions took effect upon the Senate Armed Services Committee's passage of the NDAA in July.

"This year's defense bill delivers a pay raise and expanded parental leave for our troops, includes important provisions for Nevada's military interests, and incorporates my bipartisan bills to bolster America's cybersecurity and AI capabilities, provide more opportunities for Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers, and require the disclosure of any testing for toxic chemicals at or near military installations," said Senator Rosen. "This bipartisan package accomplishes so much to support our state's servicemembers and defense installations while addressing pressing threats to our national security. I will continue working across party lines with my colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee to protect our nation, support our troops, and fight for Nevada's priorities."

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