Military Families Need Help with Childcare, Not Weapons

Floor Speech

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Mr. CASAR. Mr. Speaker, I am Greg Casar, and I represent the heart of Texas.

Throughout my time in office, I have heard from and spoken with military families about what their greatest needs are. The answer that has most consistently come up isn't about the latest tanks or the latest guns. It is childcare.

In fact, based on a 2021 survey from the Military Family Advisory Network, they found that 78 percent of military families have found it difficult to get childcare for their kids. This need is ever present in San Antonio, Texas, Military City USA.

Military readiness means more than just stocking up on more and more weapons and gadgets. It means investing in the people of the military.

Right now, the extreme rightwing is trying to bring forward a bill to spend more and more money on weapons that the Pentagon hasn't even asked for, and it happens nearly every year.

The NDAA, our annual defense spending bill, provides funds that the Department of Defense is told to spend on obsolete weapons and programs. That is why I am proposing an amendment to the NDAA, alongside Congressman Castro, to provide adequate childcare for our military families.

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