Silver State Times

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) announced several major victories for Nevada and the nation that she helped secure in the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (NDAA), which advanced out of the Senate Armed Services Committee. The national defense package contains four of Senator Rosen’s bipartisan bills, as well as other amendments and provisions she championed. The legislation authorizes increased funding for our national defense and provides a 5.2% pay raise for our troops. 

The package includes many Rosen-led victories, including provisions directly benefiting Nevada’s servicemembers and national security installations – such as funding for military construction projects at Nellis Air Force Base (AFB), expanded mental health and family support services for those who have served at remote installations like Creech AFB and Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon, and the creation of programs to strengthen our nation’s cybersecurity workforce and support our defense small businesses.

“As the United States faces growing and unprecedented threats from adversaries like China and Iran, I’m proud to announce that several of my bipartisan provisions to bolster America’s technological advantage, enhance our military competitiveness, and strengthen our alliances are included in this year’s bipartisan national defense bill,” said Senator Rosen. “As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I worked with my colleagues across the aisle to ensure this package authorizes critical resources for Nevada’s bases and military construction projects, invests in our nation’s cybersecurity, and provides a well-deserved pay raise for our troops.”

Rosen-led bipartisan bills included in the FY24 NDAA:

• Investing in American Defense Technologies Act: Establishes a federal public-private partnership pilot program to scale, support, and invest in American defense-centric small businesses producing advanced capabilities, including hypersonics, space, and autonomous systems. This program will help fuel cutting-edge defense technology production and make the United States more competitive with China.
• Maritime Architecture and Response to International Terrorism in the Middle East (MARITIME) Act: Requires the Department of Defense to develop a strategy between the U.S., Israel, and Arab partners and allies in the Middle East to counter maritime threats posed by Iran, violent extremist organizations, and criminal networks.
• Taiwan Cybersecurity Resiliency Act: Requires the Department of Defense to expand cybersecurity cooperation with Taiwan to help them counter cyber threats from China.
• Department of Defense Civilian Cybersecurity Reserve Act: Establishes a Civilian Cybersecurity Reserve pilot program to recruit qualified civilian cybersecurity personnel to serve in reserve capacities to ensure the U.S. government has the talent needed to defeat, deter, or respond to malicious cyber activity, especially at times of greatest need.

Other key Rosen-led provisions included in the FY24 NDAA include, among others:

• No Funding for Yucca Mountain: Zero dollars authorized for defense nuclear waste storage at Yucca Mountain.
• New Facility at Nellis: Planning and design funding to construct a new F-35 Data Lab Support Facility at Nellis Air Force Base. 
• New Hangar at Nellis: Planning and design funding to construct a new F-35 aircraft hangar at Nellis Air Force Base. 
• Addressing Child Care Challenges at Creech and Fallon: Requiring the Secretary of Defense to issue a report on the availability of critical family support services, including overnight child care, at remote or isolated military installations like Creech AFB and NAS Fallon. Creech Airmen routinely support night operations, but lack access to child care outside of normal business hours. 
• Mental Health Support for Creech Airmen: Urging the Secretary of Defense to establish a combat status for remotely piloted aircraft crews, like those at Creech AFB, to allow them access to combat-related benefits, such as mental health care services, once they separate from the military or the RPA community. 
• Fair Reimbursement for Creech and Fallon Servicemembers: Encouraging the Secretary of Defense to update the Joint Travel Regulations for reimbursement purposes to account for the distance traveled to child care centers and schools, in addition to the distance traveled from home to base. This is especially important for servicemembers stationed at remote bases like Creech AFB and NAS Fallon, who must rely on critical family support services far from home in Las Vegas and Reno, respectively.
• Addressing Housing and Child Care Challenges at Creech: Requiring the Secretary of the Air Force to provide a report on the status of available housing and services at Creech AFB, as well as an update on plans to develop housing and child care services with the City of Las Vegas. 
• Infrastructure Investments at Hawthorne: Ensuring the Secretary of the Army appropriately prioritizes investments to upgrade infrastructure at Hawthorne Army Depot. This follows Senator Rosen pressing the Secretary of the Army at a hearing earlier this year for commitments to invest in Hawthorne’s infrastructure. Last year, Senator Rosen announced she secured a small arms training range at the Depot for servicemembers in Nevada to be able to complete their annual weapons qualification.
• Improving Transition for Reservists and Guardsmen: Encouraging the Secretary of Defense to modify the process for Reservists and Guardsmen transitioning from Active Duty back to their Reserve status in order to better serve their needs and circumstances, such as the completion of any financial reimbursement for costs incurred during deployment. 
• Enhancing U.S. Cybersecurity Partnerships: Requiring the Secretary of Defense to form a strategy for developing an integrated military cybersecurity partnership with allies and partners in the CENTCOM area of responsibility to defend against and eradicate hostile cyber activity.

Original source can be found here.