Congressman Kim Delivers Wins for Joint Base, New Jersey in NDAA Conference Committee

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) announced several wins for Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and New Jersey’s service members as the final language for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021 was released. Congressman Kim served as a conferee to the bicameral conference committee that drafted the final report. The NDAA conference report will now go to the House and Senate for a final vote.

“This bill, once signed into law, will deliver big for our Joint Base and New Jersey,” said Congressman Kim. “Our troops will get a pay raise, our Joint Base will have a critical mission protected, and we’ll see real investments that will make a direct impact in Burlington and Ocean Counties. I’m proud to have been a part of this incredible bipartisan effort and look forward to voting with my colleagues to pass it into law.”

The NDAA for Fiscal Year 2021 as agreed upon in conference contains provisions authored and championed by Congressman Kim including:

• 3 percent increase in military pay for all military service members.
• KC-46 mission scheduled to arrive at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Q4 2021. This conference report slows the KC-10 drawdown over the next three years to ensure KC- 46s will come online without degrading readiness. Prohibits the use of funds authorized to be appropriated in fiscal year 2021 to fiscal year 2023 for the retirement of any KC–135 aircraft or reduce the number of primary mission KC–135 aircraft. This provision would also require the Air Force to maintain a minimum of 50 primary mission KC–10A aircraft in fiscal year 2021, 38 primary mission KC–10A aircraft in fiscal year 2022, and 26 primary mission KC–10A aircraft in fiscal year 2023.
• Two construction projects authorized at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst including $22M for a Munitions Storage Area and $15M for National Guard Readiness Center.
• National Guard and Reserve hazard duty pay equity, which could increase a National Guard and Reserve service members pay by as much as $1,200 a year. 60 percent of service members at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst are National Guard or Reserve.
• Expedited phasing out of PFAS chemicals through coordinating an effort for public-private partnerships, allowing DoD to work alongside industry experts and research groups to develop and secure a safer alternative foam that will help to protect the health of our servicemembers, their families and surrounding communities.
• Increased funding for the GenCyber program from $5 million to $23 million to ensure a strong, diverse and educated pipeline for cybersecurity talent in the United States who can address next-generation cybersecurity threats.
• Expanded access to care for Vietnam Veterans dealing with the impact of toxic exposure during their service to include ‘Parkinsonism, Bladder cancer, Hypothyroidism. This will allow veterans to receive better care for ailments contracted during their service.
• Paid parental leave extended to approximately 100,000 federal civilians inadvertently excluded from last year’s legislation, including employees at the VA, TSA, FAA and others.

Information about wins secured by Congressman Kim during the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2020 can be found on the Congressman’s website by clicking here.

Congressman Kim is a member of the bipartisan House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis, where he serves as one of twelve members of the House tasked with conducting oversight over programs aimed at ending the Coronavirus pandemic and helping address the economic impact it’s having on the American people. Congressman Kim is also a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Committee on Small Business. More information about Congressman Kim can be found on his website by clicking here.