[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 120 (Tuesday, June 30, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S3980]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, now on another matter, as I have said 
for weeks, our domestic challenges cannot take Congress's eye off the 
ball of world affairs. So, as the Senate passed other major bills and 
the Senate Republicans tried to advance police reform until Democrats 
blocked us, our colleagues on the Armed Services Committee have worked 
hard to assemble the next National Defense Authorization Act.
  Every year, the NDAA allows us to speak clearly about the Senate's 
priorities on matters of national defense. As China continues to treat 
maritime arteries like its own backyard sandbox, the men and women of 
the U.S. Seventh Fleet and the entire Indo-Pacific Command remain on 
call to maintain order. As Russia doubles down on its support of brutal 
dictators and attacks democratic regimes from dark corners of the web, 
U.S. Cyber Command remains vigilant and our NATO relationships remain 
vital. As tyrants, from Tehran to Pyongyang, pave over their citizens 
in pursuit of power, we need our sharpest minds and best tools watching 
their every move.
  Our Armed Forces stand watch over our homeland, and they stand watch 
over an entire international order that shares our peaceful values and 
benefits our Nation.
  Now our military has also risen to the unique task of helping respond 
to the pandemic. Military medical facilities have added critical 
capacity during the first surge of COVID-19, from Navy hospital ships 
to soldiers from the 531st Hospital Center at Fort Campbell. National 
Guard personnel have established and manned temporary testing 
facilities across the country. DOD research facilities have joined the 
race to develop treatments.
  As our servicemembers confront challenges new and familiar, our job 
is to advance an NDAA that supports them and their families. Chairman 
Inhofe and Senator Reed led a productive, bipartisan process in 
committee. I hope we will see a bipartisan amendment process out here 
on the floor as well.
  But already the bill will make major steps forward. It supports 
servicemembers not only while they are at their duty stations but also 
on the homefront.
  This year's bill encourages expanded telemedicine capabilities in the 
military healthcare system, and it will help retain highly trained 
providers. It implements new quality standards for acquisitions of 
military family housing and increases impact aid to school districts 
that support large numbers of military children. It revises sexual 
assault-prevention policies to destroy barriers to victims seeking 
justice.
  It includes further steps to ensure all these efforts are supported 
by a more efficient and transparent administrative structure over at 
the Pentagon. That means changes to compensation to attract top talent, 
expanded access to cutting-edge software, and new checks on the 
Department's planning process to increase accountability.
  The U.S. military is the greatest fighting force the world has ever 
seen. Our work in the coming days is meant to ensure that this remains 
the case. Supporting servicemembers and their families is a critical 
piece of this year's NDAA. Our men and women in uniform are simply the 
best, and they deserve the best

                          ____________________