Protecting Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Responders Act of 2014
Floor Speech
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Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. I thank the gentleman from California, Chairman McKeon, for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, America appreciates Chairman Buck McKeon and his wife, Patricia, for their extraordinary dedicated service to promoting a strong military defense and the well-being of serv ice mem bers and their military families. I wish them Godspeed for their future success. The chairman will be greatly missed.
As chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel--and I am very grateful that I have had the privilege of working with Ranking Member Susan Davis of California--I am grateful to have served with Chairman McKeon in drafting this bill.
Supporting our serv ice mem bers and providing the necessary resources for our military families and veterans is the primary function of the Federal Government. With the hopeful passage today of the National Defense Authorization Act, we will help achieve this goal and ensure that our national security remains in tact.
Included in today's bill are provisions that the House and Senate have agreed upon that will help keep American families safe and make sure that our brave men and women in uniform are given the resources they have earned and deserve.
Included in today's bill are provisions that the House and Senate have agreed upon that will help keep American families safe and make sure that our brave men and women in uniform are given the resources they have earned and deserve.
Key provisions:
Awards the Purple Heart to members of the Armed Forces like those at Fort Hood who were wounded or killed in domestic terrorist attacks on our home soil; mandates new criminal sexual assault reforms to prevent future crimes from occurring and offers support to victims in need; additional behavioral and psychological health programs will be made available to address and prevent military suicides; a bipartisan prohibition on the transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees to the United States and prevents construction of terrorist detention facilities at home; and supports operations to support peace in the Middle East by supporting our allies in the region. In the future, we will work to enhance pay benefits and commissary proposals.
As a 31-year veteran of the Army National Guard, I am pleased that Congressman Bill Enyart of Illinois and I were able to support the National Guard's readiness and capabilities by preventing the transfer of any Apache helicopters in the coming year. Apart from assisting the States when disaster strikes, the National Guard serves as the combat reserve force for our Active Duty Army and Air Force. Their accomplishments are crucial for the security of our country.
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