[New post] Garamendi secures wins for Mare Island, Travis Air Force Base with National Defense Authorization Act
Thomas Gase posted: "Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA08), helped pass the "National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024" in the House Armed Services Committee this week that aims to help Mare Island and Travis Air Force Base. The annual legislation provid" Times-Herald
Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA08), helped pass the "National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024" in the House Armed Services Committee this week that aims to help Mare Island and Travis Air Force Base.
The annual legislation provides the legal authority for all aspects of the United States military, including all personnel, installations, and equipment used in the countries national defense. The House Armed Services Committee passed the legislation by a bipartisan vote of 58 to 1 and the legislation will now be considered by the full U.S. House of Representatives in the coming months.
Garamendi added key provisions to the annual legislation to support Mare Island and Travis Air Force Base, combat the climate crisis, crack down on corporate price gouging, and more.
"I am pleased that the House Armed Services Committee has once again come together to address critical issues facing our service members, military families, and the more than 1,000 military installations worldwide," Garamendi said in a news release. "I built upon my previous efforts to require the military to do its part in tackling the climate crisis. I also worked to crack down on giant defense contractors who are price gouging American taxpayers, provide new resources to help California fight wildfires, and create new good-paying union jobs in our community.
"No legislation of this scope is perfect, and this year's NDAA under the new House Republican Majority is no exception," Garamendi continued. "But I am pleased to have worked in a bipartisan manner to ensure that this must-pass legislation addresses the critical issues for our military families and national security interests. Now that the House Armed Services Committee passed this legislation with strong bipartisan support, I will work to ensure it passes Congress and is signed into law by President Biden."
The provisions help support Mare Island as it authorizes the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study on dredging the Island Strait in front of finger piers 2 and 3 to a depth of 30 feet to restore the usability of the piers for commercial shipbuilding in the future. Garamendi has championed the revitalization of Mare Island during his time in Congress, including his successful advocacy to secure a $13 million investment into the shipyard.
Garamendi added an additional provision inspired by his "Federal Ship Financing Improvement Act," which will provide new federal loans and loan guarantees for repairs and retrofits of U.S.-flag civilian vessels in domestic commercial shipyards, like Mare Island Dry Dock.
Whale boats race down the Mare Island strait during the Vallejo Waterfront Weekend Whale Boat Regatta on Saturday. (Chris Riley—Times-Herald file)
The provision will also aim to improve base access at Travis Air Force Base and to create local jobs there. This includes portions of Garamendi's "Base Access Privileges Improvement Act," to make improvements relating to civilian access to U.S. military installations. This aims to help workers, veterans, and others who need to get on base for their jobs, livelihood, or medical care get on base in military communities like the ones Travis Air Force Base.
The provisions also include parts from the "Put Our Neighbors to Work Act," which Garamendi introduced with Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ) to increase Congressional oversight and support local businesses at multibillion-dollar military construction jobsites. These provisions will help create new good-paying union construction jobs at Travis Air Force Base in Garamendi's district and military construction projects throughout the nation.
Other aims of the legislation aim to help combattle price gouging, provide new resources to help states like California fight wildfires, tackle the climate crisis and rebuild the U.S.-Flag International Fleet and modernize the military's list of medically disqualifying conditions.
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