Dupage Policy Journal

U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Dist. 8) voted late last week with a House majority to pass the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes numerous provisions backed by Duckworth to provide funding stability for military projects while bolstering national security from the top down, setting a clear defense policy and making sure soldiers have what they need in the field to complete the difficult task of defending the country.

“As a combat veteran, I understand that supporting and protecting the brave troops we send into harm’s way are among the most important responsibilities of this Congress,” Duckworth, a member of the House Armed Services Committee and an Iraq War veteran, said. “The last thing we want our deployed troops worrying about is partisan politics delaying their pay or causing their families financial hardships.”

The House approved the measure by an overwhelming 370-58 vote. With support from both Republicans and Democrats, a dozen of the proposals offered by Duckworth were added to the final draft of the legislation.

“The NDAA we passed today provides service members, their families and the American people peace of mind that our national-security interests are secure and well-funded, and it does it without partisan budget gimmicks that make effective strategy planning more difficult,” Duckworth said. “I’m pleased that it also includes a number of provisions I authored to save taxpayers money, reduce waste, address troop concerns and keep our country safe, and I was proud to vote for it.”