Rep. Torres Small Delivers for New Mexico in FY21 NDAA Mark-Up

July 2, 2020
Press Release

Washington, DC – Last night, Congresswoman Xochitl Torres Small (NM-2), member of the House Armed Service Committee (HASC), voted to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021 alongside a 56-0 recommendation for full House consideration. Today, she released the following statement on its passage: 

“As our country comes together to keep each other safe and healthy, I’m honored to once again work with my colleagues on Armed Services to support our brave service members who keep us safe. That’s why I fought for over 20 provisions in this year’s defense bill that will support the unique missions at Holloman Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range, and the servicemembers and veterans who call southern New Mexico home,” said Torres Small. 

“From improving the military’s drought plans to investing in the next generation of weapons testing, I’m fighting hard to ensure that New Mexico continues to have a leading role in our country’s national security.”

Rep. Torres Small’s FY2021 NDAA amendments included:

  • Continued the call for expanded compensation for individuals exposed to radiation while working in uranium mines or living downwind from atomic weapons tests.
  • Secured funding for directed energy testing at White Sands Missile Range. The workload and number of directed energy demonstrations and exercises have increased significantly since 1975, yet funding remained at constant levels. These funds will help meet the growing demand and support the appropriate test workloads.
  • $10 million for rocket technology to implement rapid, affordable testing to demonstrate hypersonic weapons capabilities at White Sands Missile Range.
  • Efforts to support New Mexico’s dairy and agricultural industry by including a requirement that the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, notify all agricultural operations in an area where PFAS have been detected in groundwater that is suspected to have resulted from nearby military installations. 
  • Secured funds for suppliers of energy efficient military shelters which improve the safety of service members on military bases. 
  • Urged DoD to consider the development of technology to increase the resiliency in mitigating viral pandemics as we cope with COVID-19, including an assessment of the gaps in the Department’s viral pandemic detection and surveillance capabilities.

In addition to the previously described amendments, Rep. Torres Small also successfully advocated for the inclusion of the following measures in the main text of the NDAA legislation:

  • A requirement for an assessment of the Department of Defense on water and sewage resiliency at military installations, including opportunities for public-private partnerships, and barriers to addressing water and sewage resiliency shortfalls. 
  • An additional $150 million for the research and development related to PFAS remediation and disposal technologies and AFFF replacement. 
  • Additional energy efficiency improvements at military installations such as the establishment of an emergency diesel generator microgrid pilot program to test assumptions about increased efficiency, resiliency, and lowered cost and emissions.
  • $5 million in funding for Magdalena Ridge Observatory Interferometer, which New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and New Mexico State University make use for their science and engineering programs. 
  • A requirement to report from the Comptroller General of the United States on participation in the Transition Assistance Program at small and remote military installations, as part of efforts to ensure service members transitioning to civilian life are supported.
  • A comprehensive study on the adequacy of high-speed test track infrastructure at Holloman Air Force Base and its ability to meet current and future testing requirements.
  • A report on resourcing required infrastructure upgrades to the Army’s Mobilization Force Generation Installation (MFGI) missions, primarily located at Ft. Bliss, TX.

 

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