Amata Welcomes House Passage of Military Pay Raise
Major Defense Bill Includes Amata’s Amendments and Pacific Security
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata welcomed bipartisan House passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022, which will raise military pay by 2.7 percent. The House passed the bill by a vote of 363-70 with the support of 194 Republicans and 169 Democrats, and the bill now goes to the Senate for final approval.
This major legislation authorizes Pentagon’s yearly operations across the board, including Pacific security efforts. Notably, these include $7.1 billion for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, expressing U.S. commitment to a free and open Pacific region, codifying an Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, along with other provisions dealing with strategic measures related to the government of China.
NDAA is among Congress’s most significant legislation, authorizing nearly $768 billion. This version of the bill was negotiated by conference committee and is expected to pass the Senate, which will mark 61 straight years that the yearly legislation has been completed. A previous version passed the House in September.
“Our military certainly deserve this pay raise, and it will be a help to our people from American Samoa serving in the Armed Forces,” said Amata. “This NDAA makes it clear that the U.S. is fully committed to the Pacific, and is focused on the security and stability necessary for the region’s many trade partnerships and alliances.”
The NDAA provides for all Department of Defense activities, including supporting our Armed Forces personnel; military construction and housing; weapons systems and modernization; equipment and training; health care for the military, expanded mental health assistance at bases; cybersecurity provisions; research and development; national security programs in the Department of Energy; and combating sexual assault. The bill establishes an independent commission to study the 20 years of war in Afghanistan.
Congresswoman Amata on one of her visits to the troops in the Middle East over the holidays (file photo)
Amata’s Legislation Part of NDAA
The House-passed NDAA includes two specific provisions through Congresswoman Amata’s leadership – a small business bill which she sponsored, initially as stand-alone legislation then as an amendment; and another on which she was the lead cosponsor with Congresswoman Katie Porter (D-California).
The Porter-Radewagen amendment follows up on a recent study of the Runit Dome, as commissioned in a prior bill, to establish which reports to declassify regarding the nuclear waste measures in the Marshall Islands in order to ensure the health and safety of the Marshallese people, and prevent ocean pollution. The Runit Dome houses nuclear waste material from 67 nuclear tests conducted in the Marshall Islands before 1958.
“Standing with our allies in the Marshall Islands is the right thing to do, and the best way to prevent ocean pollution at the site,” Amata said. “I’m pleased my small business provision will ensure fairness in appeals, as HUBZones level the playing field for remote or economically challenged areas in seeking federal contracting opportunities.”
Amata introduced the bipartisan Parity for HUBZone Appeals Act (H.R. 8229) in June to reform how small business appeals in the HUBZone program are handled to ensure a fair and transparent process.
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