Press release:
Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) voted to pass the FY22 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) last night (H.R. 4350). Additionally, two of Jacobs’ proposals were included and passed.
“President Biden unjustifiably proposed cuts to our nation’s military, especially at a time when our nation faces threats from numerous enemies abroad. The President’s reckless withdrawal from Afghanistan has created a new terrorist haven and has weakened our international credibility. Similarly, China is ever focused on disrupting the international order. We must be laser-focused on combating threats of Chinese aggression and cyber-warfare,” Jacobs said. “This legislation reverses President Biden’s proposed defense cuts, supplies critical resources for counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan, gives our troops a much-needed pay raise, and provides for the procurement of critical equipment and vehicles for our nation's military.”
The National Defense Authorization Act passed last night with bipartisan support in the House of Representatives. Included in the final text of the bill were two legislative proposals introduced by Congressman Jacobs:
- The Reservists Opportunity Act – this legislation allows for soldiers in our National Guard and Army Reserves to more easily access active-duty opportunities. Currently, soldiers need to be connected to a Department of Defense (DoD) network to access the Tour of Duty system, an internal Army job board for active-duty opportunities. This legislation allows for access from personal devices – improving retention and overall military readiness.
- An amendment that increases “open topic” small business contracting opportunities for small businesses, which the Air Force has used to successfully develop innovative technologies from companies that do not traditionally work with the DoD.
“As our world grows more tumultuous and our enemies seek to test our resolve, improving our military readiness and capabilities is essential to our national security,” Jacobs said. “I introduced these pieces of legislation to ensure we can counter any threat that may arise and that our nation is not only prepared to counter the threats we face now, but any threat we may encounter in the future.”
