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Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Vice Chair of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel, and her House Armed Services Committee (HASC) colleagues advanced out of committee H.R. 4350, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022 which included key provisions introduced and championed by Congresswoman Escobar.

“The FY22 NDAA reflects America’s national interests and makes historic investments in the future of our Defense,” said Congresswoman Escobar. “I am proud to have worked to craft and support legislation that delivers big wins for Fort Bliss and El Paso while confronting our growing threats, honoring our promise to protect the security of Afghan women and girls, and delivering a system of justice worthy of our brave servicemembers. I look forward to continue working with my colleagues to pass this legislation which fulfills our obligation to provide for the common defense of our nation.”

“For more than sixty years this committee’s focus has been to provide the Department of Defense and the men and women who serve our country with the tools to meet the ever-changing national security threats we face,” said Chairman Adam Smith (WA-09). For the sixty-first consecutive year, the Armed Services Committee has fulfilled its critical responsibility and completed, on a bipartisan basis, a defense bill that will bolster our national security and provide for the common defense.”

Below is an overview of some of the key FY22 NDAA provisions authored and championed by Congresswoman Escobar:

Honor Our Heroes
Congresswoman Escobar successfully included provisions to authorize President Joe Biden to posthumously award Private Marcelino Serna, El Paso native and the most decorated WWI soldier from Texas, the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Additionally, Congresswoman Escobar ensured the inclusion of a provision directing DoD to report to the House Committee on Armed Services on the status of Medal of Honor reviews for veterans who participated in World War I – particularly for veterans of African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, and Jewish American descent.

Advance Innovation and Economic Development Opportunities in El Paso

Congresswoman Escobar authored language to promote innovation and emerging technologies in our military while supporting communities like El Paso. Her efforts include authorizing the DRIVE AM program at $5 million. This program is one that universities like the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) would benefit from and use to train veterans, servicemembers, and others in additive manufacturing.

Additionally, she included language expanding the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to include economically disadvantaged communities.

Promote STEM Education in El Paso

Congresswoman Escobar championed major changes to the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education program, which awards scholarships to college sophomores looking to do research degrees in STEM fields. The changes include awarding research internships to students and prioritizing students from minority serving institutions (MSI) and community colleges for research internship opportunities and scholarships.

Support Military Child Development Centers

Congresswoman Escobar was successful in including funding for Military Child Development Centers (CDC) to help servicemembers and their families have access to affordable and high-quality childcare. The funding would also help renovate many CDC facilities that are in “poor” or “failing” conditions and construct newer ones to help servicemembers who are in immediate need for childcare.

Reform the Uniform Code of Military Justice and Criminal Investigation Organizations

To protect those who bravely put their lives on the line for our country, Congresswoman Escobar championed the incorporation of many of the recommendations made by the Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military to the Secretary of Defense, including provisions on independent investigations of sexual assault and harassment and reforming the military criminal investigative organizations, to further protect servicemembers

In addition, Congresswoman Escobar fought to include amendments to improve reporting requirements on demographics of offenses in the Military Justice System and establish a clearinghouse of evidence-based practices to prevent sexual assault and harassment, suicide, and other harmful behaviors under DoD.

Protect National Guard from Being Exploited for Political Gain

Congresswoman Escobar successfully included in the FY22 NDAA markup a provision to prohibit the deployment of a State’s National Guard forces in another State, federal district, or U.S. territory if paid for with private funds – unless such duty is in response to a major disaster or emergency under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.

Provide Access to Contraception for Servicemembers

Congresswoman Escobar secured a provision to improve reproductive care for servicemembers. This provision would ensure that everyone enrolled in TRICARE has coverage of contraceptives and care without cost-sharing for one year. This provision eliminates harmful roadblocks to contraceptive care, including copays for non-Active Duty servicemembers and military family dependents. Prior to the ACA’s contraceptive coverage requirement, women spent between 30% and 44% of their out-of-pocket health costs on contraception alone. Congresswoman Escobar believes that no servicemember or military family member should be forced to pay out of pocket for basic preventive care, including contraception, that their civilian counterparts do not pay.

Protect Small Businesses and Competition in Federal Acquisition 

Congresswoman Escobar included a provision in the NDAA to expand a General Service Administration (GSA) e-commerce pilot program that enables federal agencies to access procurement opportunities. This provision would ultimately allow small businesses to participate in the program’s e-commerce portal and compete in this process, without being pushed out due to limited competition and unfair practices in the e-commerce marketplace.

Protect the Security of Afghan Women and Girls

Congresswoman Escobar is committed to putting gender equality, women’s rights, and the meaningful participation of women in society and conflict resolution at the heart of our foreign policy agenda, including in Afghanistan. Congresswoman Escobar supported language to direct the DoD to submit a report to the Committees on Armed Services and Foreign Affairs on a comprehensive strategy for how U.S. military capabilities and partnerships could be used to promote the protection of the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.

Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Congresswoman Escobar successfully included in the FY22 NDAA markup a provision to direct DoD to study the incorporation of antimicrobial and antiviral technology in the manufacturing of DoD-issued clothing and individual equipment to reduce the threat of transmission of infectious diseases among personnel in training and deployment due to the ongoing worldwide pandemic.