Congressman Kim Holds Town Hall on Issues Related to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, the National Defense Authorization Act, and Afghan Refugees and Resettlement

Press Release

This afternoon, Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) held a telephone town hall where he highlighted issues related to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst's (JBMDL) importance to our region's economy and our country's national security. The Congressman discussed his work on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and service on the House Armed Services Committee, as well as Operation Allies Welcome, and the work of Task Force-Liberty at JBMDL related to Afghan refugees and resettlement efforts.

"At the end of August, as the United States left Afghanistan, I called on America to honor the American handshake by helping those Afghan allies that have helped us over our 20 years in their country," said Congressman Kim. "I'm proud that Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and New Jersey are doing our part and I look forward to highlighting the strategic significance of the Joint Base to our region and our country."

A full recording of the town hall event can be found by clicking here.

During the town hall, Congressman Kim was joined by Department of Homeland Security's Tom Decker, the federal coordinator at JBMDL, as well as COL Jon Brierton and CAPT Frank Ingargiola, JBMDL's deputy commanders who discussed a variety of topics from Joint Base operations, to refugees and resettlement.

Questions raised by people in both Burlington and Ocean County during the town hall include topics on refugee resettlement and how they can help, vaccine access, climate change, infrastructure, and Congressman Kim's push to lower prescription drug prices -- highlighted by his recent op-ed in the Washington Post.

Congressman Kim highlighted his work on the ongoing bipartisan NDAA FY 2022 bill including his Put Our Neighbors to Work Act that requires the Department of Defense (DoD) to give preference to contractors for military construction projects that will use workers from the same state, or a 60-mile radius from where the work will occur.

The same bill also requires the DoD to post publicly online, construction contract opportunities and requires contract recipients to make information for any contracts exceeding $250,000 available to the public.

Congressman Kim also spoke about the value of JBMDL, he talked about the incredible bravery shown by the flight crew based at JBMDL that took off from Kabul with more than 800 people on it during the Afghan evacuation in August.

If you want to sign up for future Town Halls, you can do so by clicking here.

Congressman Kim is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Committee on Small Business. More information about Congressman Kim can be found on his website by clicking here.

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