WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52) released the following statement on the passage of H.R. 1960, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), out of the House Armed Services Committee. The bill passed the full committee early this morning on a bipartisan vote of 59-2 and goes next to the whole House for consideration. This bill is expected to be debated and voted on by the whole House next week.

“The passage of the NDAA out of the committee is a good step toward providing a budget for our military,” Congressman Peters said. “The Department of Defense (DOD) and our service men and women, and their families, deserve clarity on what to expect over the next year.

“This year’s NDAA also holds significant benefits for San Diego’s military community including money for the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) that allows universities like UC San Diego to compete for Navy related research grant programs, funding for training and operational readiness requested by the Navy Seals, and construction of cruisers and amphibious ships to be based in San Diego.

“I did speak out against efforts to hinder the DOD’s investment in renewable energy that is imperative to our national security and the ability of the DOD to diversify their energy portfolio. We must be looking for long-term solutions to the dependence on a single, unsustainable fuel source in our military.

“Also we did pass an amendment to prevent funding for the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS). This is a system where we have spent billions on something the DOD does not want but appropriators continue to fund it. This amendment is a good move against wasteful and unnecessary spending in the defense budget.

“Given the heavy military influence in our local economy and communities, I am pleased that this NDAA ensures that the Navy is furthering its repositioning toward the Pacific arena which continues to be important from a strategic standpoint. The bill also provides funding for the increasingly necessary cyber security field as well as several other important programs: support for readiness operations that are critical to national security, a pay raise for our servicemembers, and new initiatives designed to fight back against the epidemic of sexual assault in the military.

“However, with that progress in mind we cannot forget the ongoing impact of sequester. The impact on our military cannot be understated. In San Diego, our civilian employees are being furloughed and national mission readiness is being threatened, both of which are unacceptable and unproductive. I will continue to advocate for responsible budgeting that balances spending cuts with needed investments.”

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