Providing for Consideration of H.R. National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year and Providing for Consideration of Motions to Suspend the Rules

Floor Speech

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Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding, and I rise today in strong support of the rule and underlying bill. I also want to thank Chairman Smith for his leadership on the bill and all the members of the Armed Services Committee for the work they put in to ensure that we have an NDAA that fully addresses the modern challenges facing our country.

This bill takes steps to address the threat of climate change, long identified by the DOD as a threat to national security, by requiring the Department to plan around climate vulnerabilities in future projects.

This bill also protects military families. In addition to the widow's tax issue, it protects low-income servicemembers by bridging the gap for those who need SNAP assistance. It upgrades military housing and provides support for childcare and education for military families.

It also promotes diversity in our Armed Forces by requiring DOD to issue a new diversity and inclusion strategy and address existing inequities.

This NDAA goes further to ensure that our Armed Forces are fully ready for the threats we face today and prepared for the threats we will face in the future.

Of particular concern to my district is the CH-47 aircraft, better known as the Chinook. Like the residents of my district who proudly build these machines, the Chinook is a workhorse that can always be relied upon to get the job done, even in the toughest and most unforgiving of conditions. This bill makes it clear that Congress has no intention of abandoning this vital program.

On top of being one of the most versatile and crucial aircraft in our Armed Forces, the Chinook program supports more than 20,000 jobs and 200 suppliers in 38 States. I am pleased that this program is in the bill, and I look forward to supporting its passage.

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