Providing for Further Consideration of H.R. National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017

Floor Speech

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Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express a deep disappointment in the Rules Committee's decision to throw out three of the amendments I put forward.

By not doing those amendments, you failed to provide to those serving our country the same necessary health services that all of us get now guaranteed under ACA. You refused to take steps to protect young athletes attending United States military academies. And you neglected to provide congressional oversight on over $1 trillion worth that this country plans to invest in our nuclear deterrents.

We need to fix the current TRICARE system so that we can ensure that servicemembers are provided the same access to preventive health services as those ensured under the ACA, including gestational diabetes with no copayments, smoking cessation, et cetera.

My second amendment was simple. It directed the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study on the effects of concussions in contact sports, including hockey, football, lacrosse, and soccer at our United States service academies. We all know that we see what concussions can do to people.

The third amendment was to simply direct the Department of Defense to include a 25-year plan to look at our nuclear spending.

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