[cid:[email protected]]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 23, 2021

Contact: Brooke Lillard, [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>





House Passes Blue Dog Priorities, Endorsed Legislation to Strengthen National Defense



WASHINGTON— Today, the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included several Blue Dog Coalition priorities to strengthen our nation’s defense apparatus as outlined in a June letter from Coalition leadership<[link removed]>. Specifically, the letter listed the following priorities to ensure a strong national defense for the United States: 1) Increase defense funding; 2) Fund measures to counter China; 3) Support watchdogs to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse; and 4) Boost cyberspace-related capabilities. As part of those priorities, the legislation also included Blue Dog Coalition-endorsed legislation to assess China’s presence and influence in Latin America and the Caribbean<[link removed]>, the slate of Coalition-endorsed NDAA amendments<[link removed]>, and a pay raise for servicemembers.



“The National Defense Authorization Act we passed today will be instrumental in ensuring our military can confront the challenges ahead and have the resources to remain the most effective fighting force in the world,” said Rep. Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Chair of the Blue Dog Coalition’s Task Force on National Security. “This package will allow us to expand and bolster our national cyber capabilities, take needed steps on modernization, remove sexual assault from the military chain of command to protect our service men and women, and support the critical work being conducted at Picatinny Arsenal. Our military must contend with emerging global threats in a rapidly changing world, and this package will help them do so. I’m grateful for the Blue Dog Coalition’s work and advocacy on these priorities and their help in delivering a strong, bipartisan package.”



###



The Blue Dog Coalition is an official caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives comprised of fiscally-responsible Democrats, who are leading the way to find commonsense solutions. They are pragmatic Democrats, appealing to the mainstream values of the American public. The Blue Dogs are dedicated to pursuing fiscally-responsible policies, ensuring a strong national defense for our country, and transcending party lines to get things done for the American people. Visit our website<[link removed]> to learn more, and get the latest news updates by following us on Twitter<[link removed]> or liking us on Facebook<[link removed]>.