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As a veteran of the Marine Corps Reserve, it is an honor to serve on the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), which works to conduct oversight over the Department of Defense and protect our national security interests. Each year, HASC works to pass the annual defense bill, also known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Through the NDAA, I work to advance legislative priorities that benefit the Central Coast. These include improving quality of life for servicemembers and their families, making investments on the Central Coast, cutting wasteful spending, and strengthening our national security. Additionally, I am supporting policies that aim to reduce nuclear stockpiles.
I've previously amended the NDAA to help advance the Central Coast as an aerospace hub, strengthen local engineering programs through military partnerships, and require the Department of Defense to be more compatible with renewable energy goals.. I have also worked to secure various funding initiatives in the NDAA that support defense industries on the Central Coast, driving local economic growth and increasing job opportunities. Servicemembers and Military Families We are fortunate to have an all-volunteer military force. This is our country’s greatest strength that brave men and women are willing to serve their country and make the ultimate sacrifice to safeguard our freedoms. It is our duty in Congress to provide the best life possible for our servicemembers and their families. This last NDAA, I voted to increase pay for junior enlisted service members by 19.5 percent, and a 4.5 percent pay raises for all other service members. I also voted to increase the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH). These increases will help service members, especially junior enlisted, pay for food, housing, and other necessities. I also led a provision that would allow military families to compare and rate housing options, a tool commonly available to civilians in the private sector. This NDAA also will increase child care capacity on bases by providing more competitive compensation. Aerospace The Central Coast has a growing aerospace ecosystem, with Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB), world class research universities, and a robust industry. I led several proposals in NDAAs requiring the Space Force to provide Congress a plan on how to expand commercial space launch opportunities at VSFB which will support job growth in the region. In addition, I have secured increased funding to support infrastructure investments at VSFB. Educational Partnership Agreements I secured millions of dollars in funding for DOD’s educational partnerships with local universities. This funding supports the University of California, Santa Barbara’s Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies, which is an Army-sponsored University Affiliated Research Center, and an aerospace engineering Educational Partnership Agreement at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The funding encourages DoD-academia research partnerships on the Central Coast that will ultimately help sustain the United States’ technological edge. Climate Change I co-sponsored a provision that directs the Defense Department to research the impacts of climate change on our military operations and propose strategies to combat its effects. I have also led on provisions that require the DOD to study how its operations can be more compatible with the development of renewable energy, including offshore wind such as the ongoing project in Morro Bay. As a military that has committed to and invested in maintaining global presence these provisions help ensure we are prepared to protect our personnel and assets from the impacts of climate change and direct DOD to be more of a partner in combating climate change. Naturalization I led a bipartisan effort to successfully include language that ensures service members who have permanent resident status are aware of the opportunity for expedited naturalization. With intensified military operations in recent years, many service members were not made aware of their expedited naturalization opportunities. This provision now requires that the military provide this information to our eligible service members and veterans. In addition, I am proud to co-led the bipartisan bill, the Sergeant First Class Javier J. Gutierrez Purple Heart Survivor Naturalization Fee Relief Act, which will require fees for naturalization and certain immigration-related benefits for the immediate relatives of a Purple Heart recipient be waived. Investment in our youth As co-chair of the National Guard Youth Challenge Program Caucus, I have continuously advocated for additional funding and language expressing the importance of the Youth Challenge Program such as the Grizzly Youth Academy at Camp San Luis Obispo while continuing to require a report to ensure effective oversight and accountability of the program. The Grizzly Youth Academy is one of the most effective youth development programs for high school-age students on the Central Coast that have dropped out or are at-risk of dropping out of school. In addition, I am the co-chair of the STARBASE Caucus and have secured additional funding for the STARBASE program, a STEM education program run by the Department of Defense (DoD). VSFB hosts a STARBASE program, providing educational opportunities for students in the local area. Female Body Armor I supported language urging the Marine Corps to develop body armor that meets the specific needs of female service members. It is an ongoing concern that the Marine Corps is just developing more sizes rather than developing female-specific body armor. I have also sponsored and cosponsored amendments to increase the funding for development and procurement of body armor for female service members. |
