Press Releases

Santa Barbara, CA -- Both the House and Senate have now successfully voted to override President Trump’s veto of the FY21 National Defense Authorization Act Conference Report. This marks the first successful veto override of Trump’s presidency. The veto override passed in the House by a vote of 322 to 87 and in the Senate by a vote of 81 to 13.

“The President’s reckless veto put our national security at risk all to serve his own self-interest. Unlike the President, I actually served in the military, so I know how important this bill is to our country, our community, our veterans, and our servicemembers,” said Rep. Carbajal. “With this overwhelming and bipartisan override vote in both chambers of Congress, we have once again proven that our military and our national security are more important than politics.”

As a conferee, Rep. Carbajal played a key role in ensuring the final product reflects Central Coast values. The bill includes:

Central Coast Wins:

• Conception Bill: The Small Passenger Vessel Safety Act, which Carbajal introduced in the wake of the Conception boat fire, will now become law. The bill directs the Coast Guard to implement long overdue safety reforms to small passenger vessels to prevent a similar disaster in the future.
• Offshore Wind: Protects and promotes offshore wind development off the coast of Morro Bay. The bill directs the Secretary of the Navy to report to Congress on their progress working with the Offshore Wind Working Group to identify a region for offshore wind development that satisfies all parties.
• Military-University Partnerships: Authorizes $18 million in research funding for military-university partnerships with our local universities. This funding will propel research for biomedical technology at UC Santa Barbara and unmanned aerial vehicle research at Cal Poly, ensuring our military has cutting-edge technology and students get hands-on research experience.
• Vandenberg and Space Launch: Includes a $5 million increase in funding for Space launch range services and capabilities, including for Vandenberg Air Force Base. It will also strengthen our oversight of national security space launch, to allow for reliable access to space while allowing competition and innovation to flourish.

National Wins:

• Directs the Department of Defense to remove Confederate names, displays, monuments, and paraphernalia from Army bases.
• Extends paid parental leave to all federal employees, including transportation workers and VA employees.
• Provides veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange, and who are suffering from cancer and related diseases, with long overdue disability compensation and health care services.
• Gives our servicemembers a 3% pay raise.
• Authorizes a Pacific Deterrence Initiative, a program to counter China’s influence in the Pacific by bolstering our relationship with our allies in the region and enhancing our defense and deterrence capabilities in the region.
• Enhances our nation’s cybersecurity by establishing a National Cyber Director within the Executive Office of the President and strengthening the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) at the Department of Homeland Security. This provision is of special significance following the recent massive hacks of U.S. government agencies and private businesses, believed to be conducted by Russia.

Rep. Salud Carbajal is a Marine Corps Veteran and serves on the House Armed Services Committee. He represents California’s 24th congressional district, which encompasses Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and part of Ventura County.

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