Collins Votes to Support Our Troops

Statement

Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Conference Report for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020 (FY 2020):

"Each year, members of Congress on both sides of the aisle come together to accomplish one critical goal: To put our troops first. While I'm disappointed by certain provisions pertaining to our immigration laws, this year's NDAA is a win for our men and women in uniform, and a win for Georgians. This legislation will strengthen our national security by rebuilding military readiness, investing in the tools necessary to confront China and Russia, and providing our troops with the largest pay raise in a decade. As a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force Reserve, I take seriously Congress' constitutional duty to fund our military, and I'm proud to have supported this legislation today."

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 secures funding for Department of Defense Cyber Institutes at senior military colleges, including the University of North Georgia, to better prepare talented men and women to bring expertise in cybersecurity and cyber defense to the Armed Forces.

This bill also includes the Fair Chance Act (H.R. 1076), which Collins introduced with the late Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) earlier this year. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation will give formerly incarcerated individuals a fairer chance at finding a job by prohibiting the federal government and federal contractors from asking about the criminal history of a job applicant prior to a conditional offer of employment.

Collins' amendment to protect religious liberty for chaplains serving in the military was also included. The amendment ensures the church--rather than the military--is the sole determiner of whether a military chaplain is qualified to represent his or her religion.

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