Rep. Payne, Jr. Votes to Protect Americans from Future Pandemics and Increase Military Pay

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. voted for a bill today to create a fund to help avoid the next pandemic as well as increase military pay for soldiers.  The William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 would provide $1 billion to create the Pandemic Preparedness and Resilience National Security Fund, which would increase the nation’s ability to handle a future pandemic to avoid another coronavirus-style public health crisis.  In addition, the bill would give American military officials a three percent raise and require all military bases and infrastructure named after Confederate officials to be renamed.

“I voted for this bill because we cannot allow another global pandemic to shut down the country and collapse our economy,” said Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr.  “As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Preparedness, Response and Recovery for the House Committee on Homeland Security, I have a responsibility to the American people to prepare the country for the next global pandemic, even as we fight the current COVID-19 coronavirus.  More than that, this bill would give our soldiers a raise they deserve for their work to protect the safety of all Americans.”