{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://hudson.house.gov/press-releases/hudson-secures-big-wins-for-fort-bragg-in-ndaa", "Hudson Secures Big Wins for Fort Bragg in NDAA", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Republican", "House", "NC", "Richard Hudson", "H001067", "hudson.house.gov", "hudson", "https://hudson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE\n\nDecember 11, 2019\n\nHudson Secures Big Wins for Fort Bragg in NDAA\n\nHouse Passes NDAA Conference Report with Pay Raise for Troops, Hudson\u2019s Measures to Address Military Housing, Allow Service Members Recourse in DOD Medical Malpractice\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08), Fort Bragg\u2019s Congressman and an outspoken advocate for North Carolina's military community, released the following statement after the House passed the bipartisan conference report for the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which included several of his priorities for Fort Bragg, including a landmark provision he led to allow service members recourse in Department of Defense medical malpractice:\n\n\u201cWhen I heard from constituents on changes they wanted to see to military policy, I immediately went to work,\u201d said Rep. Hudson. \u201cWhile this bill isn\u2019t perfect, I\u2019m proud to see many of these policy changes included in the bill. I\u2019ll continue to look out for our soldiers and their families at Fort Bragg and across the district.\u201d\n\nAllowing Service Members Recourse in DOD Medical Malpractice\n\nEarlier this year, Rep. Hudson introduced the bipartisan Sergeant First Class Richard Stayskal Military Medical Accountability Act of 2019, a bill named after a Moore County constituent and veteran. Today\u2019s NDAA includes a provision he helped secure based on this legislation to allow service members to seek compensation for medical malpractice unrelated to their military duties and caused by a Department of Defense health care provider.\n\nWhile the NDAA does not fully repeal the Feres Doctrine, it authorizes the Secretary of Defense to allow, settle, and pay an administrative claim against the United States for personal injury or death of a member of the uniformed services that was the result of medical malpractice caused by a Department of Defense health care provider. For the first time since 1950, U.S. military personnel would have legal recourse to seek payment from the military in cases of medical malpractice.\n\nImproving Privatized Military Housing and Increasing Oversight and Accountability\n\nEarlier this year, Rep. Hudson introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Better Military Housing Act of 2019, legislation to improve oversight and bring much-needed transparency and accountability to military housing. Today\u2019s NDAA includes key provisions from Rep. Hudson\u2019s bill, including provisions to:\n\nEstablish an IG review of privatized military housing\n\nRequire the Services to establish a Tenant Bill of Rights that sets minimum acceptable livability standards, demands better communication, creates greater transparency, addresses establishment of a formal dispute resolution process, bans the use of non-disclosure agreements as a condition of moving out of military housing, and enhances protections against reprisal\n\nRequire the Department to establish a standardized assessment tool to be used in evaluating military housing for certain risks, including lead and mold;\n\nIncreases transparency for families by requiring disclosure of major repairs/remediation prior to lease signing\n\nRequire new quality control measures and increase health and hazard inspections\n\nAuthorize additional funding to ensure installation housing offices are properly staffed\n\nRep. Hudson continues to be in close contact with leaders at Fort Bragg and the Department of Defense. He remains committed to working closely with stakeholders to hold those accountable and fix this problem. He has toured military homes and engaged with many military families at Fort Bragg to make sure this legislation addresses their needs.\n\nModernizing and Improving Pay Allowance Continuation (PAC)\n\nPay Allowance Continuation (PAC) allows a soldier continuation of special pay during a portion of their rehabilitation time from wounds, injuries, and illnesses they have incurred in a combat operation or combat zone. The NDAA includes a modernization of pay and benefits for soldiers recovering from wounds sustained in combat. Over the past few years, medical capabilities have improved across special operations units to allow operators to receive world class treatment and rehabilitation services back at their home unit. This has allowed Green Berets from Fort Bragg to rehab while being reintegrated into their unit and being surrounded by their family and support network. Previously, these services would have only been available at an inpatient facility like Walter Reed. This amendment ensures that service members recovering from wounds continue to receive the additional pay they are entitled to until they are fit for duty.\n\nContributing to Healthy Communities and Addressing PFAS\n\nThe NDAA prohibits the use of firefighting foam containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) after October 1, 2024, with an exception for shipboard use, and immediately prohibits the uncontrolled release of fluorinated aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) and the use of AFFF in training exercises at military installations. The conference agreement encourages the Secretary of Defense to finalize cooperative agreements with states to address contamination by these substances and authorizes the National Guard to access Defense Environmental Remediation Account funds for the limited purpose of addressing PFOS and PFOA exposure and contamination resulting from National Guard activities in and around National Guard bases.\n\nProviding a Pay Raise for Troops\n\nToday\u2019s NDAA provides a 3.1% pay-raise for our troops \u2013 the largest increase in a decade.\n\nOverall, today\u2019s bipartisan NDAA authorizes $738 billion in defense funding and rejects numerous poison pills from Washington Democrats, such as restrictions on the President\u2019s authorities to secure our borders. It also:\n\nProvides the resources to continue to rebuild readiness, advance modernization of the nuclear triad, develop emerging technologies, enhance missile defense, and confront our adversaries\n\nMaintains long-standing prohibitions on transferring detainees from Guantanamo Bay and constructing detention facilities in the U.S.\n\nProvides an additional $5.3 billion in emergency funding for military installations damaged by natural disasters\n\nEstablishes the United States Space Force as the sixth branch of the military\n\nProvides up to 12 weeks of Paid Parental Leave for the Defense Department, Intelligence Community, and across the federal government, a key administration priority", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:45:33Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://hudson.house.gov/press-releases/hudson-secures-big-wins-for-fort-bragg-in-ndaa"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.8671429716050625, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}