Akron Reporter

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On July 14, U.S. Representative Emilia Strong Sykes (OH-13) voted against the passage of H.R. 2670, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

“Ensuring the safety and security of our communities is one of my top priorities as the Congresswoman for Ohio’s 13th Congressional District. Unfortunately, extreme House Republicans chose to play partisan games with our national security by including partisan amendments attacking our LGBTQ+ service members and restricting the reproductive freedoms of our troops,” said Rep. Sykes. “The process to pass this important defense bill is not over, however, and I will continue to advocate for sensible, bipartisan policies to support our women and men in uniform. Any defense legislation worthy of the President’s signature must ensure our country is prepared to face the security challenges of an increasingly globalized, complex world.”

In an effort to improve this legislation, Rep. Sykes co-led an amendment that would have implemented the Food Access and Stability Act, her legislation to exempt veterans, those who are housing insecure, and former foster youth from work requirements to access Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. This amendment was blocked by House Republican leadership.

Other amendments Rep. Sykes co-sponsored but were similarly blocked by House Republican leadership would have:

• Increased access to quality, affordable mental health services for service members;
• Protected access to reproductive health care for service members;
• Protected service members from the long-term health impacts of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances often found in substantial concentrations on military bases across the country;
• Created a pilot program at the Department of Defense Education Activity school systems to promote food security and reduce environmental risk factors for military families;
• Reduced barriers to employment for military spouses;
• Supported service members who utilize fertility services to start or expand their families;
• Combatted financial fraud targeting service members, veterans, and military families; and
• Addressed veteran homelessness by providing financial support to qualified transitioning service members who may experience hardships upon initial transition from service.

The NDAA passed by the House of Representatives did include two bipartisan amendments Rep. Sykes co-led, which:

• Reaffirm the Congressional requirement for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to produce a report on methods to secure the supply chain for the procurement of rubber for DoD-related purposes, and to emphasize the need to invest in research and development to diversify the production of rubber, alongside Reps. Dave Joyce (OH-14), Shontel Brown (OH-11), and Max Miller (OH-07); and
• Direct the DoD to produce a classified report on current and future military posture, logistics, maintenance, and sustainment requirements to bolster the United States’ capacity to resist force in the event of a Chinese attack and attempted invasion of Taiwan, alongside Rep. Lisa McClain (MI-09).

The NDAAalso incorporated several amendments Rep. Sykes co-sponsored, which:

• Expand bereavement leave to the death of a parent, spouse, or child to include language of non-biological relatives (e.g., adopted, or foster children);
• Increase the Family Separation Allowance (FSA) to $400 from $250 and require the FSA be periodically reviewed in the Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation;
• Require the Secretary of Defense to carry out a report on at-home childcare programs and the feasibility study of streamlining licensing and certification requirements across the Department of Defense's services and bases to better support childcare availability and spouse employment;
• Include immediate family members, including military spouses, to a report authored by the DoD Task Force on Mental Health pertaining to access to telehealth services; and
• Implement U.S. Government Accountability Office recommendations relating to military foster and adoptive families to centralize information on supports available to military foster and adoptive families, revise the military benefit enrollment guidance for foster children, and promote awareness on military benefit enrollment for foster and pre-adoptive children.

40,461 veterans live in Ohio’s 13th Congressional District, and 6,281 active-duty military members reside in Ohio.

A full summary of the House-passed NDAA can be found here.

Following the passage of the Senate’s version of the National Defense Authorization Act, both chambers will meet in a conference committee to produce a final bill.

Original source can be found here.