Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026

Floor Speech

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Ms. HOULAHAN. Madam Chair, I thank Ranking Member Smith and the chairman for leading by example. It is a very important lesson to be learned here. I thank the chairman, Mr. Fallon, for working together with me on MILPERS this term.

This is my seventh time through this, my seventh time on a bipartisan bill, and actually my sixth time a bipartisan bill has passed out of committee. This one includes many quality-of-life priorities for our servicemembers and for their families. These issues will have an immeasurable impact on our recruitment and retention efforts, as well as, of course, our readiness.

The bill includes a 3.8 percent pay raise for servicemembers. It increases the family separation allowance for servicemembers to $400 a month. It also excludes the base housing allowance from a servicemembers' household income so that a great number of them should be eligible for the basic needs allowance.

These and several other provisions in the bill will certainly positively impact servicemembers' pocketbooks and their ability to put food on the table.

H.R. 3838 expands ongoing efforts to improve the access to safe and quality childcare by extending the Childcare in Your Home pilot program through 2029. Additionally, the bill will require the Department to conduct annual reviews of childcare fee assistance rates. These regular reviews will certainly ensure that the fee assistance program remains aligned with the ever-evolving needs of our military families.

Finally, the bill addresses the ongoing healthcare needs of servicemembers and their families. It requires the establishment of the occupational resilience program for cyber personnel. Interestingly and importantly, the bill waives fees and copays for the TRICARE dental program for all members of the Selected Reserves.

Most importantly, it ensures the Department doesn't further reduce the number of military medical personnel which is, of course, vital at a time when there are medical professional shortages across this country.

We bring this bill to the floor to show that in a bipartisan way our country is determined to support our servicemembers and their families.

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Ms. HOULAHAN. Madam Chair, we support readiness and recruitment. I urge my colleagues to reject poison pill policy riders that will be added to this bill that could destabilize this very important work and to not put partisan politics above the well-being of our servicemembers.

This NDAA would do just that. Our servicemembers and their families make considerable sacrifices, and we must fulfill our commitments to them and their families, as well.

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Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the en bloc package, which includes my bipartisan amendment that would require the Department of Defense to develop a comprehensive strategy for emerging biotechnologies.

Biotechnology can transform defense capabilities, including producing food, fuel, and medicine on the battlefield, enhancing surveillance and stealth, and reducing supply chain vulnerabilities while increasing operational flexibility.

Our adversaries, particularly the Chinese Communist Party, are investing heavily in this field, and it is critical that we act and that we act now.

This amendment directs the Department to develop a strategy to expand biomanufacturing and to update military specifications, to leverage market commitments, to integrate biotech into planning and exercises, to pursue research grant challenges, to build regulatory and digital infrastructure, and, lastly, to strengthen our NATO coordination, as well.

I thank my fellow leaders of the House BIOTech Caucus, Representatives Khanna, Sessions, and Bilirakis, for their partnership on this amendment, and I urge my colleagues to support the en bloc package.

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