LaLota Votes to Pass Bills to Support Military & Veterans, Secure the Border, Keep Americans Safe, and Call on China to Free Huntington’s Kai Li
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Suffolk County), a Navy Veteran, released the following statement after voting YES to pass H.R. 8752, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, H.R. 8774, the Department of Defense (DoD) Appropriations Act, and H.R. 8771, the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPs) Appropriations Act.
“I am proud to help pass three bills to support our military and my fellow Veterans, secure the border, and keep American families safe at home and abroad. These bills include vital provisions I championed, including language to counteract the malign influences of China, Russia, and Iran, reinforce our unwavering support for key allies such as Israel and Taiwan, and address the ongoing border crisis by holding President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas accountable,” said LaLota. “I’m also proud to have secured language supporting the release of citizens wrongfully detained in China, such as Kai Li of Huntington, improve airport security and screenings, fund the Disaster Relief Fund, and support Law Enforcement."
Read the full text of the Homeland Security bill HERE.
Read the full text of the DoD bill HERE.
Read the full text of the SFOPs bill HERE.
Background:
Read a full breakdown of provisions and amendments championed by LaLota HERE.
The Homeland Security funding bill included several amendments and priorities put forward by LaLota, including:
Support for the Coast Guard to improve recruitment and retention efforts;
Support for the Coast Guard to emphasize the need to expeditiously repair and upgrade infrastructure, such as HVAC systems and security, at Coast Guard Stations;
Support for the Transportation Security Administration to emphasize the need to procure new aviation security checkpoint technology, such as Computed Tomography (CT) and Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) systems, at a faster rate to keep up with emerging threats;
Providing $300 million for border security technology;
Providing $4.1 billion for custody operations, which is more than ever previously appropriated, to fund 50,000 detention beds;
Providing $822 million to fund transportation and removal operations for removable undocumented migrants;
Providing $22.7 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund to support response and recovery efforts following major disasters and emergencies through FEMA; and
$720 million for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grants, to provide resources to recruit, train, and equip first responders.
The DoD funding bill included several amendments and priorities put forward by LaLota, including:
Funding a 4.5% pay raise for all military personnel;
Providing $2.5 billion for an additional 15% pay increase for junior enlisted servicemembers;
Providing $500 million for the Israeli Cooperative Missile Defense Programs, including Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow missile defense systems;
Additional funding for the Network Tactical Common Data Link - Phased Array Antenna Qualification;
Support for developing and implementing a program to promote military recruitment and education at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum;
Requiring the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to Congress on the DoD Manual 8140.03 implementation status for each component and recommendations for how to facilitate sharing effective best practices among components;
Providing $4 billion for the Submarine Industrial Base to build on the $4 billion invested in FY24;
Requiring the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to Congress on the percentage and number of contracts awarded to small businesses that are counted toward multiple agency small business contracting goals; and
Support for the submarine industrial base to emphasize that funding should go to workforce development programs.
The SFOPS funding bill included several amendments and priorities put forward by LaLota, including:
Support for the Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs to strengthen efforts to bring American citizens wrongfully detained in China home;
Providing $3.3 billion in Foreign Military Financing for Israel to defend itself against terrorist attacks; and
Prioritizing funding and policies to combat the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs into the United States.
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