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LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

Credit: Architect of the Capitol Legislative and Bene t

Updates Winter Mariner 2019

By Michael P. Hughes, OSC, USNR (ret.)

e major legislative issues as of this writing are the National Defense Authorization
Act (NDAA) for FY 2020 and the related, but separate, needed appropriations bill to
fund the authorized legislative requirements. As of this writing in early November,
there are issues holding up nalization of both.

e NDAA 2020 has passed both the House and Senate, but is held up in a
Conference Committee to resolve di erences between the versions of the House
and Senate. Senate Armed Services Committee Chair, Jim Inhofe (R-OK) has pro-
posed a “Skinny NDAA” for 2020 that cuts out more than 1900 pages of legislative
text from both bodies in order to break the impasse.

NERA Is Opposed to This “Skinny NDAA”

On the plus side it authorizes: NERA supports a full NDAA for 2020 without having to
n A 3.1% military pay raise consider additional legislation separately for each issue left
out under this proposal.
n Extends bonuses and incentive pays provides
some quality of life for military families e appropriations for DoD are tied up in an overall
n Funds military construction and acquisition budget debate with a Current Resolution (CR) funding
programs DoD until November 20 right now. Under a CR, govern-
ment agencies have to operate at the previous scal year
On the minus side it leaves out: (FY) funding levels with no new initiatives. If the CR is
n Postponement for further study the elimination extended beyond November 20, there is a real possibility
of 18,000 military medical billets that the 3.1 % pay raise would not be forthcoming or be

n Ending the “Widows Tax” for surviving spouses considerably reduced.
n Meaningful reform of military housing
management NERA continues to follow and advocate on many more
n Stops on changes and/or consolidation of com- legislative and policy issues concerning compensation,
bene ts and the well-being of our members. If you have
missary and exchanges speci c questions, please email me at [email protected].
n Funding for military spouse employment and
education services

NERA continues to follow and advocate on many other legislative and policy issues concerning
compensation, bene ts and well-being of our members and their families. If you have spe-
ci c questions please email me at [email protected] or send postal mail to my attention at NERA
National Headquarters.

6 The Mariner • 2019 FALL Edition • Volume 62 • Issue 3