Rep. Johnson announces key requests in defense spending bill passed by committee

Congressman helps secure HBCU, F-35, ROTC and Black Hawk funding in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) adopted for FY17

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) announced today that he successfully secured more than 20 key requests in the FY17 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed out of committee this week. In an 18-hour marathon session, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) considered hundreds of amendments to the spending legislation. The following are several key additions Rep. Johnson successfully passed in the base FY17 NDAA funding bill:

-- $10 million increase in the House Armed Services Committee’s (HASC) intended base funding level to $33 million for science research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Institutions (MIs);

-- Critical F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter funding increase to additional $1.5 billion (made in Georgia);

-- Increases in funding for additional C130-J’s to be made in Georgia;

-- Establishment of ROTC Cyber Institutes at the six Senior Military Colleges for purposes of accelerating the development of foundational expertise in critical cyber operational skills;

-- Authorization for Cyber Hardening Through Sustainment to address military’s cyber vulnerabilities;

-- Helicopter Funding Increases: the iconic Apache (add $190 million) and Black Hawk helicopters ($440.2 million), made and based Georgia;

-- Creation of a new Tricare Pilot Program that would allow Department of Defense to study cost parity for prescriptions obtained at retail pharmacies;

-- Cosponsored and supported the successful effort to end harmful per-diem rate reductions hurting service members & their families traveling on temporary duty assignment.

“These additions are critical in the effort to maintain America’s superior forces, both at home and abroad, in the face of a changing geopolitical environment,” said Johnson. “They also support programs that provide substantial job creation and economic development in the State of Georgia.” Rep. Johnson is also proud to have been a part of the historic vote that now allows women to sign up for the selective service, bringing us one step closer to equality in the Armed Services.

Rep. Johnson helped defeat or spoke out against several amendments, including:

-- Successfully voted down anti-climate change riders;

-- Voted against allowing the Confederate flag to fly over the Citadel in Charleston, S.C.;

-- Spoke against rollbacks to workplace equality measures taken by the Administration (LGBT rights);

-- Spoke against attempts to undermine the Fair Pay & Safe Workplace Executive Order, as well as against forced arbitration provisions, in federal employee contracts;

-- Spoke in favor of female service members having access to safe abortion services at military medical treatment facilities;

-- Fought for animal welfare concerns to convince DOD to phase out live animal tissue tasting and training.

Rep. Johnson also remains committed to promoting human rights principles in the NDAA. He plans to remind the Committee of his language in the FY16 NDAA that calls for a two-year DOD report on all foreign police training provided by the United States to other nations. The report was due March 1 of this year but was given a three-month extension.

“Although there is an annual report on foreign military training, Congress receives no other report on the training of police forces in other nations,” said Johnson. “This report – for which I am still patiently waiting – is more important today than ever. Human rights organizations have recently raised concerns regarding funding and training provided by the United States to militaries and police units in other nations accused of human rights violations and corruption.”

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