El Paso is home to Fort Bliss Army Base, a major power projection site and strategic asset for our national defense. For many soldiers, we are the last stop before they deploy and the first to welcome them home when they return.
Legislation Congresswoman Escobar Supports
- Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) Restoration Act: This legislation would restore the full BAH benefit and increases access to affordable housing, on and off base for service members.
- Ensuring Military Readiness Not Discrimination Act: This legislation addresses the standards for eligibility for service in the Armed Forces. Specifically, the bill provides that any qualifications established or applied relating to eligibility for service in any of the Armed Forces must not include any criteria relating to the race, color, national origin, religion, or sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, or sex characteristics) of an individual. Additionally, any personnel policy developed or implemented by a military department with respect to members of the Armed Forces must ensure equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons, without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, or sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, or sex characteristics).
- Equal and Uniform Treatment in the Military Act (also known as the EQUITY Act): This legislation would prohibit discrimination within the Department of Defense (DOD) against individuals on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
- Access to Reproductive Care for Servicemembers Act: This legislation would protect health care access for servicewomen and military families who are stationed in states with extreme abortion bans by requiring the Department of Defense (DoD) to allow service members to take leave and reimburse travel costs to receive reproductive health care treatment.
Funding for the Military
- $20 Million increase in funding for Department of Defense Research and Development Programs that support Minority Serving Institutions
- $15 Million from the Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP) grants firehouse station at Fort Bliss to serve the William Beaumont Army Medical Center area.
- $10 Million from the Additive Manufacturing in Future Vertical Lift program that will allow America Makes and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining to work closely with minority-serving institutions like UTEP to diversify the defense workforce and build up our supply chain.
- $10 Million over the President’s Budget request for Low-Cost Missile Systems Development in collaboration with El Paso Makes.
- $6.5 million presented by the Under-Secretary of the Army to create an expanded talent Pipeline with UTEP to link El Paso students with Army opportunities.
Investment in Our Military Community Through NDAA
Congresswoman Escobar was privileged to be one of only eight members of Congress to serve on the bipartisan Quality of Life panel; some key FY24 NDAA provisions she authored and championed, all of which were implemented:
Historic Investments for Ft. Bliss:
- $74 Million for the full construction of a rail yard to bolster rapid deployment capabilities
- $10 Million to ensure that El Paso continues to leverage its exceptional additive manufacturing capabilities to support a key future defense program for the Department of the Army
- $10 Million in authorized procurement funding for Predictive Maintenance for Abrams tanks to improve the readiness and sustainability of the Abrams platforms
- $7.2 Million for the planning and design of transient training barracks
Pay & Compensation
- 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members.
- 4.5% basic pay increase for all other service members.
- Reevaluates cost-of-living allowances to ensure they reflect local expenses.
- Expands JROTC programs.
Healthcare
- Eliminates TRICARE co-pays for contraceptives.
- Enhances privacy protections for victims of sexual assault.
- Expands medical services for reservists.
- Invests in brain and mental health initiatives.
Housing
- Requires full funding for Facility Sustainment, Restoration, and Modernization.
- $177 million investment in military housing and barracks upgrades.
Childcare
- Fully funds childcare fee assistance to eliminate waitlists.
- $50 million for schools with military-dependent students.
- Ensures DoD childcare staff receive competitive pay.
Spousal Support
- Extends the Military Spouse Career Accelerator Pilot.
- Simplifies professional license transfers for military spouses.
