Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and the Senate Armed Services Committee have completed the markup of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020. Senator Blackburn advocated for several projects that are critical to groups in Tennessee.
“Tennessee is proud to be home to multiple military bases,” Senator Blackburn said. “The sacrifice our members of the military make in service to our country can never be repaid. It is essential that we provide our men and women in uniform with the support they need to protect the United States and to provide for their families. This bill seeks to meet that goal.”
The FY 2020 NDAA meets U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s requested budget of $750 billion to fully fund our military. It also provides our men and women in uniform with a 3.1% pay increase – the first since 2010.
Senator Blackburn secured funding for over 30 projects that will have a direct effect on military communities in Tennessee and on the mission of the Armed Forces to protect and defend the United States.
Some of Senator Blackburn’s work in the FY 2020 NDAA:
- Implements military spouse professional licensure reciprocity to make it easier for spouses to continue working when moved across state lines for their service. This provision comes as a result of Senator Blackburn’s discussions with members of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell as they seek to facilitate a seamless adjustment for their family members.
- Requires DOD to track how much time members of the National Guard are deployed, as extended periods away can cause undue stress on their civilian jobs. This comes as a result of discussions Senator Blackburn had with members of the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Poland and Ukraine, including several guardsmen and women from Knoxville and the surrounding area who described this as being one of the biggest hurdles in their service.
- Provides full funding for research and development of mission-essential aircraft, including 9 CH-47 Chinook helicopters.
- Increases infrastructure and operations budget for our national nuclear security enterprise, which includes the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex in Tennessee. This bill will properly fund facilities that have been neglected since after the Cold War.
- Creates two reports that will positively inform training and doctrine for Green Berets, especially the 5th Group at Fort Campbell.
- Supports the partnership between the U.S. military and its strong and unwavering partnership with the Kurds in Syria.
- Invests in the future of our military through the inclusion of three amendments to support the implementation of the Space Force as part of the Air Force.
The executive summary of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 can be found HERE.
