Congressman Kim Named as Conferee to Defense Bill Conference Committee

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) was named as a conferee to the bicameral conference committee on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021. This is the second year in a row that Congressman Kim has been named as a conferee to the bicameral conference committee.

“Being a strong voice for our Joint Base and the men and women who serve there means having a seat at the table when decisions are made, and I’m proud to be named again as a conferee to ensure this year’s NDAA reflects the priorities of our Joint Base and community,” said Congressman Kim. “I’m proud of the work we were able to do last year to raise pay for our troops, end the use of dangerous PFAS chemicals that threatened our water, and brought money back to New Jersey. I’m confident that as a member of this conference committee, we can raise troop pay again and further strengthen our Joint Base for years to come.”

The NDAA for Fiscal Year 2021 as passed through the House contains provisions authored and championed by Congressman Kim including:

• 3 percent increase in military pay for all military service members.
• Creates a $1 billion Pandemic Preparedness and Resilience National Security Fund to help prepare for future deadly pandemics.
• The bipartisan HACT Act, which would help U.S. citizens fight back against foreign-sponsored cyber security attacks.
• Incentives to increase local hiring for military construction programs that would put New Jersey building trades members to work on projects at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and other military construction sites.
• Providing members of the National Guard and Reserve equal hazard pay to their Active Duty counterparts. This would provide critical pay to members of the National Guard who are engaged in COVID-19 mitigation efforts.
• Help expedite the 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.
• Ensure mission readiness is upheld by the continued use of the KC-10 at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst until the KC-46 is delivered to the Joint Base.
• Increased funding for the GenCyber program from $5 million to $20 million to ensure a strong, diverse and educated pipeline for cybersecurity talent in the United States who can address next-generation cybersecurity threats.

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.