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Congressman Heck applauds passage of National Defense Authorization Act

Dec 12, 2019
Press Release
Bipartisan, bicameral FY20 defense authorization package includes long-sought provisions authored by Rep. Heck

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman Denny Heck (WA-10) voted in support of the FY20 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference report. Rep. Heck secured a number of vital provisions that will improve servicemember quality of life and emergency preparedness in the South Sound.

“I want to thank Chairman Adam Smith for fighting on behalf of the provisions I authored in this year’s NDAA, and ensuring they were included in the final bill. He has been a tireless advocate for our state and our servicemembers, and I am grateful for his leadership.” said Rep. Heck. “I am proud to support legislation that both improves our military readiness against the myriad threats our nation faces around the globe, and does right by our servicemembers and their families.”

  • Section 560A will require each of the armed services, as part of their annual financial literacy education briefing, to include information on free credit monitoring available to servicemembers under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Rep. Heck’s amendment to the NDAA gives servicemembers the tools they need to be financially secure.
  • Section 1756(b) will require the Department of Defense to submit a report regarding the interoperability of military installations and civilian emergency services. The derailment of Cascades 501 in DuPont underscored that confusion and redundant efforts between civilian and military emergency services can delay rescue efforts – and potentially cost lives. Rep. Heck introduced this interoperability provision as an amendment to the NDAA.
  • Section 1114 will reverse a provision of the Republican tax law of 2017 that designated the moving expenses of federal employees working overseas as taxable income. These moving costs were previously tax exempt. In response to this unfair provision targeting federal employees in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Rep. Heck first introduced legislation to restore this tax exemption in 2018, the Keeping the Promise to American Public Servants Act (H.R. 7254, 115th Congress).
  • Section 4301 authorizes $75 million for the Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP) to fund infrastructure needs in communities that serve growing military bases. Rep. Heck originally proposed DCIP in 2014 in the COMMUTE Act (H.R. 5290, 113th Congress), and it was first authorized in the FY19 NDAA.

This legislation also includes hard fought priorities of Rep. Heck's including support for additional visas for individuals who have risked their lives in order to assist U.S. forces in Afghanistan, and adoption of legislation to better protect the country against its economic and military competitors without negatively impacting international scientific collaboration.

Division E of the NDAA contains the Damon Paul Nelson and Matthew Young Pollard Intelligence Authorization Act of Fiscal Years 2018, 2019, and 2020 (IAA). As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Heck secured critical additions to the IAA that were included for final passage.

“I have served on the House Intelligence Committee for three years, and this is the first time since joining that we will see an Intelligence Authorization Act become law,” said Rep. Heck. “In his first year with the gavel, Chairman Adam Schiff has negotiated a bill that equips the intelligence community with the tools needed to protect against today’s geopolitical threats and prepare for those just around the corner. That’s a credit to Chairman Schiff, and I applaud and thank him for his work.”

  • Section 6433 creates an advisory board which will allow the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) to leverage public-private partnerships to promote innovation, competition and efficiency. As options expand and technology rapidly advances for space launch and imaging satellites, the National Reconnaissance Office needs to be able to expand the pool of expertise it draws upon. Rep. Heck led the charge in committee for this provision’s inclusion in the IAA.
  • Sections 6714 and 6716 require the Director of National Intelligence to report to Congress on how the new rules on foreign investment in the United States are working to protect national security. These reports pair with Rep. Heck’s work to expand and enhance the powers of the Council on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) last Congress in the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act, which became law as part of the FY2019 NDAA.

Congressman Heck represents Joint Base Lewis-McChord and is a member of the House Intelligence Committee.

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