Press Releases

WASHINGTON – The House passed the final version of the national defense bill, known as the National Defense Authorization Act, with language added by Congresswoman Susan Davis (CA-53) directing the Navy to report on the impact of border sewage spills on our national security.

The Navy plans to build a $1 billion Navy SEAL training center, known as the coastal campus, down the strand near Imperial Beach. Davis called for an assessment of how construction and future training at the site could be impacted.

“We need a whole of government approach to solving the problem of sewage spills,” said Davis, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee. “Enlisting the Navy could be the impetus to getting this done. The Navy’s coastal campus will be vital for national security. The last thing we want is our elite Navy SEALs training in water contaminated with sewage. Nor do we want training operations delayed.”

In the NDAA, Davis secured the following provisions:

Military Childcare Services - To reduce the backlog of children waiting to get into childcare facilities and to provide more flexibility for military parents, Davis directed the Department of Defense to report to Congress on expanding operating hours, contracting with private-sector childcare services, and adding services for the National Guard and Reserves.

Increasing Healthcare Opportunities for Disabled Veterans - Davis asked the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of Human Health Services and the Commissioner of Social Security, to report on the total number of disabled veterans receiving Medicare benefits resulting in those veterans no longer being enrolled in TRICARE. Davis has introduced the bipartisan FAIR Heroes Act to allow veterans to be able to opt back into TRICARE if they were getting healthcare benefits through Medicare. This amendment was a critical first step in restoring benefits to these disabled veterans.

Retention of Female Servicemembers - An analysis conducted for the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services finds that more women than men leave the military at various career points. The Committee passed Davis’s amendment to have the Government Accountability Office examine how to better to retain women in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Sexual Assault - Building on her record of working to prevent and prosecute sexual assault in the military, Davis requested a report on the current use of best practices for prevention, training, and response shown to prevent sexual assaults across the services. This is a critical first step towards increasing the effectiveness of sexual assault prevention training across the military.

Mental Health Services - Davis directed the DOD to examine its medical system to accurately and consistently track care, cost, and implementation of evidence-based quality medical and behavioral health therapeutic services for mental health disorders to ensure servicemembers consistently receive quality care. Davis believes servicemembers deserve the best quality clinical, scientifically informed mental health services.

GI Bill Benefits - Davis added language directing the DOD to fully inform active duty servicemembers who are separating from the service on the GI Bill benefits they have earned and how to best use these important educational benefits. This will ensure veterans get the benefits they have earned and avoid having to deal with bureaucratic red tape. Many of the casework requests Davis gets are from veterans reporting issues with the GI Bill. Many are not fully aware of their educational benefits because of lack of adequate guidance from the DOD.

Supporting Women in the Afghanistan Security Forces and Syrian Women - Davis assured that peace and security processes do not overlook the inclusion of women, a critical strategy that research has shown reduces conflict. For the fourth year in a row, Davis has provided resources - up to $25 million - for Afghan women to ensure they are playing a significant role in the security and governance of Afghanistan. Davis also included language to examine the feasibility of providing similar support to Syrian women in the future.

Reducing Waste in Contracting - In an effort to reduce wasteful spending, Davis added language so DOD can assess the training of acquisitions personnel and making sure such training is meeting the needs of the Department.

The House sends the bill to the Senate where it is expected to be voted on next week.