WASHINGTON – Today, Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) voted to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) after helping shepherd it through the House Armed Services Committee. A number of provisions in the bill were authored by Rep. Houlahan and agreed to in final passage by a vote of 220-197.

“Today, I was proud to stand up for our country and our defense community – the military, the civil servants, and the families of those who serve – by voting for the National Defense Authorization Act,” said Houlahan. “Both in Committee and on the House Floor, we successfully fought for provisions that, among other things, strengthen our national security against adversaries like Russia and China, take care of our servicemembers and their families, and ensure we are using taxpayer dollars wisely to protect our nation. I am also thrilled to announce that, for the first time in history, the House passed legislation that would provide paid family leave to all our federal workers, and I am proud to have helped lead this effort in the House. As a third-generation veteran, I believe we have a duty to give our servicemembers what they need to be successful and to ensure our national security policies are consistent with our nation’s values.”

Legislation authored by Rep. Houlahan will:

1. Empower the Department to change the way it recruits and retains tech talent in the military and civilian workforce, better preparing our nation to respond to the evolution in digital technology

2. Direct DoD to publicly report data on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) so we can better understand the education gap preventing some young Americans from enlisting

3. Authorize the Special Operations Command (SOCOM) to expedite contracting with small businesses developing innovative technologies so our warfighters get the capabilities they need faster

4. Instruct the DoD to examine creating a “duty to intervene” in cases of sexual misconduct to change the culture around bystander intervention

5. Require the DoD to develop guidance on the streamlined acquisition of rare earth materials and to prevent our adversaries, like China, from controlling the world’s supply of these key materials

6. Require the DoD to study the feasibility of creating a pilot program that would help defray the cost of accreditation for private child care facilities in “child care deserts,” where there are not enough licensed childcare options for our military families

7. Authorize a study on the role of women in countering violent extremism and terrorism so that we can better adapt our policies to address this issue

8. Accelerate efforts to develop or procure a safe, cost-effective, and long-term alternative to open burn pits for waste disposal in contingency environments

9. Direct the DoD to assess vulnerabilities in our most sensitive biosecurity and pathogens data and recommend to Congress actions to remediate them

10. Help stop the diversion of military personnel from their units to perform non-military essential functions when adequate supporting infrastructure – especially government civilians – is unavailable

11. Consolidate the direct hire authorities of the DoD and require an independent study to recommend improvements to the Federal hiring system

12. Hold back 25% of the funding for the VH-92A helicopter, which is manufactured in our community, until the Department provides answers about the costs and national security risks associated with the possible closure of the Coatesville, PA manufacturing plant

Full text of the NDAA will be made available in the coming days here.

Houlahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator, and a nonprofit leader. She’s in her first term representing Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Small Business Committee.

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