Congressman Kim Introduces Bill to Aid Military Communities

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03), Congressman Denny Heck (WA-10), Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06), and Congressman Derek Kilmer (WA-06) introduced the Defense Communities Coronavirus Relief Act, H.R. 7290. The bill would provide targeted aid to defense communities; towns across America that proudly host U.S. military installations.

“Our communities surrounding the Joint Base have been hard hit during this crisis, and I will fight for every resource possible to help our neighbors get back on their feet,” said Congressman Kim. “I’m proud to work alongside my colleagues to introduce this bill and to make sure our communities that house our nation’s heroes and keep our country safe have the help they need and deserve.”

H.R 7290 will assist defense communities in three ways:

1. By lowering the local cost share for the Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP) from 30% to 5% for Fiscal Year 2021, in order to generate economic activity and spur job creation.
2. By appropriating $150 million to the Department of Defense Impact Aid program, and lowering the military connected student requirements from 20% to 5% for Fiscal Years 2021 and 2022 in order to alleviate some of the fiscal burden on state and local governments, thereby increasing the number of eligible local education agencies (LEA) by 400%.
3. By appropriating $50 million to the Defense Production Act fund to help support small businesses that military installation commanders deem “mission essential” in order to help bases avoid a gap in critical services.

Congressman Kim is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, where he serves the Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Readiness and as a Member of the Subcommittee on Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities. Prior to serving in Congress, Congressman Kim served in Afghanistan as Strategic Advisor to Generals David Petraeus and John Allen. Kim went on to serve as Director of Iraq in Obama’s National Security Council where he coordinated the crisis response to countering the rise of ISIS.