{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://hudson.house.gov/press-releases/hudson-secures-gains-for-troops-fort-bragg-in-national-defense-bill", "Hudson Secures Gains for Troops, Fort Bragg in National Defense Bill", "2021-12-08", "2021", "2021-12", "Republican", "House", "NC", "Richard Hudson", "H001067", "hudson.house.gov", "hudson", "https://hudson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "December 8, 2021\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (R-NC), Fort Bragg's Congressman and a voice for veterans, praised pay raises for troops, investments for Fort Bragg, and other provisions in the FY 22 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Rep. Hudson supported the legislation which passed the U.S. House of Representatives last night by a vote of 363-70. The bill must now be passed by the Senate before being signed into law.\n\n\"As Fort Bragg\u2019s Congressman, supporting our troops, their families, and veterans is a top priority. This defense bill provides needed investments for Fort Bragg and military families, while excluding Democrat-led provisions like red flag laws which threatened the Second Amendment,\" said Rep. Hudson. \"I will continue working to support our troops, their families, and our rights.\"\n\nRep. Hudson led over 160 House Republicans in efforts to remove red flag provisions from the final NDAA. Additionally, Rep. Hudson worked to ensure other critical priorities were included. Read more about those below.\n\nRepresentative Hudson's Priorities Secured in the NDAA\n\nSafeguards Against Vaccines Mandates for Servicemembers\n\nProhibits the DoD from dishonorably discharging servicemembers that refuse the COVD-19 vaccine. Servicemembers may only receive an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions. This policy will retroactively apply to the date of the DoD COVID-19 vaccine order and be in place for at least 2 years.\n\nRequires the DoD to establish uniform standards under which servicemembers may be exempted from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine for administrative, medical, or religious reasons. The DoD must consider the effects of natural immunity in setting medical standards, as well as whether the servicemember is approaching retirement when setting the administrative exemption standards.\n\nRequires the DoD to establish a system to track and record all vaccines administered by the DoD and any adverse reactions to vaccines.\n\nRed Flag Laws Removed\n\nBlocks proposed provisions that restricted the Second Amendment rights of servicemembers.\n\nFollows action by Rep. Hudson to remove these provisions.\n\nAccountability for the Biden Administration's Withdrawal from Afghanistan\n\nProhibits the DoD from providing any financial support to the Taliban.\n\nProhibits the use of DoD aircraft to transfer frozen currency reserves or other assets to the Taliban.\n\nDirects the Secretary of Defense to recover all aircraft provided by the U.S. to Afghan Security Forces relocated to other countries.\n\nEstablishes an independent commission to review the entirety of the Afghanistan War including the disastrous withdrawal and present finding and recommendations to Congress.\n\nRequires ongoing reports to Congress on DoD expenditures in support of Afghan resettlement activities.\n\nInvestments in Troops, Military Family Readiness, Education & Healthcare\n\nAuthorizes a 2.7% pay increase for servicemembers.\n\nExtends military recruitment and retention bonuses and special pay authorities.\n\nProvides nearly $1.5 billion to improve servicemember family housing.\n\nPrevents cuts to the military health program, increases funding for vaccine research, and provides $35 million for research and treatment of Havana syndrome.\n\nIncreases parental leave and expands the in-home childcare pilot program\n\nImproves support available to military families with special needs children by requiring an independent analysis of the DoD Comprehensive Autism Care Demonstration program.\n\nRequires the DoD to conduct a thorough and independent review of suicide prevention and response programs at various military installations.\n\nCreates a pilot program to establish employment fellowship opportunities for military spouses and requires a study on employment of military spouses.\n\nFollows discussions Rep. Hudson had with military spouses.\n\nAuthorizes an increase in funding of $70 million for Impact Aid \u2014 $50 million for supplemental Impact Aid and $20 million for Impact Aid for military children with severe disabilities.\n\nBuilds on expansion to Impact Aid funding, critical for communities surrounding Fort Bragg, secured by Rep. Hudson last year.\n\nRequires a report on the Preservation of the Force and Family Program (POTFF) for Special Operations Forces (SOF).\n\nThe report will provide progress of implementation for SOF.\n\nThe report will include plans for improvement to POTFF to better address needs of the SOF community.\n\nBuilds on improvements to POTFF secured by Rep. Hudson in last year's NDAA.\n\nGives the Secretary of Defense authority to temporarily increase Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates until December 21, 2022.\n\nIncludes $517 million to address PFAS chemicals and requires the DoD to test for and study the impact of PFAS exposure in defense communities.\n\nMilitary Construction for Fort Bragg\n\nTotal funding: $27.2 million\n\nEmergency Water System - $7.7 million\n\nMW Microgrid Utilizing Existing and New Generators - $19.5 million\n\nMeets several priorities identified by Rep. Hudson in testimony to the Appropriations Committee in May.\n\nBorder Security\n\nContinues funding for the deployment of National Guard to the border.\n\nRequires an assessment of the impact of forcing the DoD to transport illegal immigrants on military readiness.\n\nAddresses Sexual Assault Prevention\n\nCriminalizes sexual harassment under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. All claims of sexual harassment will be required to be investigated by an independent investigator outside the chain of command.\n\nIncreases the notification for survivors of sexual assault by directing the Services to notify survivors about the outcomes of any administrative action taken against their perpetrator.\n\nAllows the DoD Safe Helpline to take restricted and unrestricted reports for eligible sexual assault victims.\n\nRequires the Department of Defense to track allegations of retaliation by victims of sexual assault or sexual harassment and related persons.\n\nBuilds on legislation sponsored by Rep. Hudson to combat sexual assault in the military.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:37:48Z"]], "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-gains-for-troops-fort-bragg-in-national-defense-bill"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7213030476123095, "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"}