RELEASE: Wittman and Ruppersberger Introduce Extension of Section 3610

Press Release

Yesterday, Congressmen Rob Wittman (R-VA-01) C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD-2) introduced legislation to extend Section 3610 of the CARES Act to September 30, 2021. Important to national security and defense contracting companies, Section 3610 allows the government to reimburse federal contractors whose employees can't access federal facilities during the pandemic and can't telework due to the classified nature of their work. Passing this legislation will lessen the negative operational and readiness impacts this pandemic has had on our national security workforce -- especially helping smaller tiered companies who are already operating on thin margins and tight timelines.

The contractor program has been extended several times since its creation but is currently set to expire on March 31, 2021. This bill was introduced following a similar amendment passed in the Senate on Saturday by a 93-6 vote. While not originally included in the House-passed COVID-19 relief package, this legislation should ensure the extension of Section 3610 is included in the final package.

"Maintaining a strong national defense is Congress' first responsibility." said Congressman Wittman. He continued, "Our national security and defense industrial base performs a vital public function during this pandemic, contributing to our national defense's readiness and modernization. During a period of massive unemployment, the defense industrial base has risen to the challenge, going above and beyond to keep essential manufacturing sites safe and open, and ensuring critical national security programs are not delayed indefinitely. Extending Section 3610 is a commonsense solution to ensure we are able to retain the best and brightest and avoid a lull in service, potentially leading to a weakened United States. Finally, it means we won't be forced to take funds from other crucial programs or the readiness account to pay for the pandemic's negative impacts."

"Without Section 3610, we risk losing highly-skilled, cleared employees across the country who are supporting our national security, including more than 100,000 men and woman at 9,600 aerospace and defense businesses in Maryland," said Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger. "Extending this authority requires no additional funding and allows our private-sector partners to maintain their critical capabilities while complying with COVID-19 safety restrictions. This is a no-brainer from a national health and security perspective."

Congressman Rob Wittman represents the 1st District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee, where he serves as the Vice Ranking Member of the full Committee and Ranking Member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee.

Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger represents the 2nd District of Maryland. He serves on the House Appropriations Committee, where he sits on the Defense and Homeland Security subcommittees. He is also co-chair of the bipartisan House Army Caucus.

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