[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 123 (Tuesday, July 18, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E691-E693]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 12, 2023

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2670) to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2024 for military 
     activities of the Department of Defense and for military 
     construction, and for defense activities of the Department of 
     Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such 
     fiscal year, and for other purposes:

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I rise today to speak on the rule for 
H.R. 2670, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal 
Year 2024.
  This is an important measure that for over 60 years, Republicans and 
Democrats have come together to support investments authorized in the 
NDAA that will help address the changing global landscape and prepare 
the country for future challenges and threats.
  I along with my colleagues have offered a number of robust and 
thoughtful amendments in furtherance of a process that has generally 
been bipartisan work on behalf of America's national defense.
  However, I am dismayed that this year, my Republican colleagues in 
the majority have refused meaningful consideration of the majority of 
amendments offered by my Democratic colleagues.
  While I am grateful that one of my amendments was made in order, the 
Jackson Lee Amendment No. 1075 (No. 136 as reported in the Rule) and 
included in the En Bloc package No. 3, it is beyond disappointing and 
disgraceful that my additional 19 amendments were not made in order--
and particularly ones I have offered for many years and have been made 
in order.
  With respect to my amendment that was made in order, I ask for a 
favorable vote on the En Bloc package No. 3 in support of the Jackson 
Lee Amendment No. 1075.
  The Jackson Lee Amendment No. 1075 would require that a report be 
submitted within 220 days of the NDAA's passage detailing our national 
capacity to provide disaster survivors with short term housing.
  In the aftermath of emergencies and national disasters, victims have 
much on their minds.
  Homes, properties, businesses, and livelihoods may have been damaged 
in the disaster, and families, friends, and community members may be 
mentally and physically affected by the disaster, not to mention 
additional challenges as they seek to return to work and school.
  As these communities begin to face the long process of recovery and 
rebuilding, short term housing is one of the first things disaster 
survivors need to get back on their feet.
  Unfortunately, my constituents and I are no stranger to these kinds 
of disasters.
  In 2017, Hurricane Harvey devastated the Houston area, affecting over 
100,000 homes across the city. In the aftermath of the storm, finding 
temporary housing was one of the biggest challenges to recovery for 
many survivors.
  Short-term housing was difficult to coordinate due to the sheer 
number of Houstonians affected. As such, it is crucial that Congress 
have a strong understanding of our current capabilities and, 
specifically, our ability to provide these survivors with short term 
housing before disaster strikes.
  If voted on favorably, this report will not only inform us of our 
current capacity to provide housing but will also better equip Congress 
to respond to disasters and support survivors in the future.
  In addition to this amendment, I offered the below listed amendments.
  The Jackson Lee Amendment No. 1401 requires an annual report on 
maternal mortality rates for military members and their dependents.
  Women make up about 17 percent of the active military population. As 
such, their specific health needs are a critical piece of force 
readiness and the well-being of U.S. troops. In order to ensure 
military readiness, it's important that the full scope of women's 
health care needs are understood and provided for. The knowledge gained 
through this report will best equip the creation of meaningful policy 
and standards of care for women in the military.
  Despite generally lower rates of maternal and infant mortality 
compared with the United States overall, per a 2019 report generated as 
a result of my request to do so in the John S. McCain National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115-232), the 
continued monitoring and reporting on these rates is crucial and highly 
relevant--particularly in light of the heightened attacks on women's 
reproductive health and the recent Supreme Court's decision effectively 
overturning Roe v. Wade.
  Maternal and infant health are important indicators of the overall 
health of a Nation. More than 40 percent of active-duty service women 
reported a pregnancy since joining the military and 16 percent reported 
a pregnancy within the prior year. Beyond those directly serving in our 
military, this report would also support the needs of the pregnant 
dependents of those in the military and ensure that they also receive 
the standard of care they deserve. The Jackson Lee Amendment No. 1401 
would have ensured a proactive approach to enshrining maternal health, 
especially for our military families.
  Jackson Lee Amendment No. 1403 authorizes a $10 million increase in 
funding for increased collaboration with NIH to combat Triple Negative 
Breast Cancer.
  Triple negative breast cancer is a specific strain of breast cancer 
for which no targeted

[[Page E692]]

treatment is available. The American Cancer Society calls this 
particular strain of breast cancer ``an aggressive subtype associated 
with lower survival rates.''
  I offered this amendment in hopes that through a coordinated effort 
DOD and NIH can develop a targeted treatment for the triple negative 
breast cancer strain. Breast cancers with specific, targeted treatment 
methods, such as hormone and gene-based strains, have higher survival 
rates than the triple negative subtype, highlighting the need for a 
targeted treatment.
  Breast cancer accounts for 1 in 4 cancer diagnoses among women in 
this country. It is also the most commonly diagnosed cancer among 
African American women. The American Cancer society estimated that in 
2019, over 33,000 new cases of breast cancer would occur among Black 
women, with about 6,540 breast cancer deaths expected to die from the 
disease.
  Today, Black women are 40 percent more likely than white women to die 
from breast cancer. Black women are also 12 percent less likely to 
survive five years after a breast cancer diagnosis. One reason for this 
disparity is that African American women are disproportionally affected 
by triple negative breast cancer.
  And in my district, the statistics are even more shocking for Black 
women. In Houston, the breast cancer death rate for black women is 
nearly double than average. Several preventable factors contribute to 
this. Namely, that Black patients are 1.5 times more likely to be 
uninsured than white patients and are simply unable to obtain and 
receive access to lifesaving treatment. In fact only 54 percent of 
Black women, in Houston, receive annual breast cancer screenings. This 
is unacceptable. We must do better in making sure all those inflicted 
by this deadly cancer have access to treatment and opportunity to live 
their lives to the fullest.
  For these individuals and the tens of thousands of survivors and 
their daughters the Jackson Lee Amendment No. 1403 is desperately 
needed.
  Jackson Lee Amendment No. 1404 provides authorization for $2.5 
million increase in funding to combat post-traumatic stress disorder 
(PTSD).
  This amendment is intended to address the urgent need for more post-
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment and counseling facilities 
servicing veterans living in some of the more distressed areas of our 
country. We can never do enough to honor our wounded veterans.
  The Congressional Research Service puts the number of troops deployed 
since 2000 suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at 
nearly 67,000. Rates of PTSD among Veterans are twice as high as PTSD 
rates among the general population.
  Of the six million Veterans served by the VA in Fiscal Year 2021, 10 
percent of men and 19 percent of women were diagnosed with PTSD. This 
number does not take into account those suffering from depression or 
anxiety.
  When wounded troops return home, the treatment they receive is more 
befitting a second-class citizen than a hero. This is unacceptable for 
a country that has the resources to provide Veterans and members of the 
Armed Forces with World Class Care.
  In 2013, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals 
ruled that the Department of Veterans Affairs treatment of mentally ill 
veterans is so inadequate, it is unconstitutional. The decision said, 
``many veterans with severe depression or post-traumatic stress 
disorder are forced to wait weeks for mental health referrals and are 
given no opportunity to request or demonstrate their need for expedited 
care.''
  Increasing the number of medical facilities specializing in post-
traumatic stress disorder located in underserved urban areas is the 
first step Congress can take to providing veterans with the services 
they need.
  Access to post-traumatic stress disorder treatment is especially 
important since veterans living in such areas are less likely to be 
diagnosed and treated for post-traumatic stress disorder. For those of 
us whose daily existence is not lived in harm's way, it is difficult to 
imagine the horrific images that American servicemen and women deployed 
in war zones see on a daily basis.
  The courageous men and women of the Armed Forces brave IEDs, attacks, 
injury, and horrific violence to protect the safety and security of the 
United States, and we must, in turn, care for them when they return 
home. We must make this a priority and increase the number of medical 
facilities specializing in PTSD located in underserved urban areas.
  These soldiers can be certain that Members of Congress will ensure 
that they receive the necessary treatment to guarantee that their 
adjustment back into society is a successful one. The Jackson Lee 
Amendment No. 1404 would have helped to ensure that no soldier is left 
behind.
  Jackson Lee Amendment No. 1508 directs the Secretary of Defense to 
carry out a study and report to Congress on service-related injuries 
and medical conditions that occur post-enlistment and the determination 
of disability ratings based on age, race, gender, ethnicity, type of 
injury, and other functions as relates to the 50 percent or higher 
disability rating requirement for Concurrent Retirement and Disability 
Pay (CRDP) for military personnel or veterans, who are eligible for 
both VA disability payments and military retirement pay.
  Since its inception on January 1, 2004, the Concurrent Retirement and 
Disability Pay (CRDP) has made it possible for military retirees to 
receive both military retired pay and Veterans Affairs (VA) 
compensation.
  Under the CRDP eligibility rules, however, a military retiree may be 
entitled to CRDP only if they are a regular retiree with a VA 
disability rating of 50 percent or greater, among other considerations.
  This rating requirement may be significantly impacted by the 
discretionary powers of VA disability examiners who often make rating 
decisions largely based on judgment calls.
  This may have negative consequences for certain groups of people who 
are misconceived to have higher tolerance for pain compared to other 
races or groups.
  The result is certain groups disproportionately receiving higher 
disability ratings for low tolerance for pain as compared with others.
  The Jackson Lee Amendment No. 1508 would have ensured that the 
Secretary of Defense carries out a study to assess bias and 
discrimination in the VA disability rating system for compensation and 
pay (VA claim) examinations and to determine whether the judgement 
component of these examinations, often at the discretion of the 
examiners, is sometimes biased against certain races who are considered 
to have higher tolerance for pain.
  Jackson Lee Amendment No. 1511 directs the Secretary of Defense, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Education and professionals in the 
field of psychology with expertise in pediatric and adolescent mental 
health, to conduct an assessment of evidence-based strategies that may 
be used to reduce the security threat posed by active shooter incidents 
at public elementary schools and secondary schools located on the 
grounds of federal military installations without being apparent to 
students as law enforcement or security measures.
  This amendment further directs that not later than 180 days after 
NDAA enactment, the Secretary shall submit to Congressional defense 
committees a report on this assessment.
  I offered this amendment because, while I applaud the Pentagon's 
Inspector General's efforts at commencing a comprehensive research 
project on how various law enforcement agencies of our military 
branches have responded to active shooter incidents and violence in the 
workplace on military installations over the years, I still believe 
that more needs to be done to protect our kids in the classroom on 
every military base.
  The Jackson Lee Amendment No. 1511 would have prioritized the 
students' mental, emotional, and psychological health and development 
in the planning and implementation of active shooter trainings and the 
disruption and trauma it can impose on children in and of itself.
  Jackson Lee Amendment No. 1513 requires the Secretary of Defense to 
audit current practices regarding administration of sexual harassment 
claims and submit a report no later than 180 days after passage 
detailing efforts to prevent sexual harassment and protect service-
members, and compiling data and research on sexual harassment 
prevalence in the military, cases reported, legal proceedings, and 
convictions.
  In 2021, sexual assaults surged in the military, with 8,886 cases 
reported, from 7,816 in 2020.
  A 2022 survey estimated that 35,875 active-duty service members 
experienced ``unwanted sexual contact'' in 2021. These are very 
concerning numbers and major action is needed.
  Currently, the Department of Defense is required to provide an annual 
report on sexual assault in the military, including data and planned 
actions for improvement.
  While we deeply appreciate the ongoing cooperation and determination 
to address sexual harassment concerns, we are long overdue for a 
thorough audit of current practices regarding the handling of sexual 
harassment claims.
  To ensure accountability and effectiveness, it is important that the 
sexual assault claims process is thoroughly evaluated.
  The knowledge gained through the Jackson Lee Amendment No. 1513 would 
help equip the creation of meaningful policy and standards for 
accountability against sexual assault in the military and ensure that 
we continue to effectively protect the men and women that serve this 
country.

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