Rep. Grijalva Votes to Protect Grand Canyon and Honor Alexander Lofgren in NDAA Bill Passage
Press Release
Representative Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-03) voted to pass the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) following the inclusion of Rep. Grijalva's Grand Canyon Centennial Protection Act and the bipartisan Alexander Lofgren Veterans in Parks (VIP) Act, named in memory of Alex Lofgren, a veteran and Wounded Warrior Fellow who worked as a caseworker in Rep. Grijalva's Tucson office and passed away in a tragic hiking accident.
"While this defense bill is far from perfect, it meets critical conservation needs in Arizona and begins to address climate risks that represent growing threats to our national security," said Rep. Grijalva. "Our world, our climate and our national security are increasingly interconnected, and our federal policies must focus on preserving our natural resources at home and abroad. This bill does that. Our priority now must be to reduce wasteful defense spending and reinvest our nation's vast wealth to address climate change, prevent future pandemics, and spread prosperity across our society."
Following passage of the NDAA, Rep. Grijalva added: "I am proud to have worked with my colleagues across the aisle to offer this bill as an amendment and see it included in the final NDAA bill. While Alex is no longer with us, we are consoled that his memory will live on in this legislation which grants access to our national parks for countless veterans and Gold Star Families."
Rep. Grijalva remains committed to reducing the military budget and voted in support of the Pocan and Lee Amendments to reduce the overall defense spending authorization level by 10% excluding military personnel, Department of Defense federal civilian workforce and defense health program accounts as well as to reduce the amounts authorized for defense spending in Fiscal Year 2022 to no more than the amount requested by the President.
"Moving forward, the Pentagon must undergo a full audit to ensure taxpayer money is not going to waste especially during this time when we need to invest in so many critical domestic priorities like healthcare and education."
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