{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-secures-key-louisiana-investments-in-national-defense-package-heading-to-presidents-desk/", "Cassidy Secures Key Louisiana Investments in National Defense Package Heading to President\u2019s Desk", "2024-12-19", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) issued the following statement on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) headed to the president\u2019s desk to be signed into law. The package includes key priorities Cassidy secured, including $105 million for Louisiana military installations.\n\n\u201cStrategic investments in Louisiana\u2019s bases and troops are critical to our national defense. It also supports jobs in our communities,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cThis package demonstrates to the world that the United States stands ready to defend our freedom against any adversary.\u201d\n\nCassidy and the delegation took steps to protect our national security by ensuring the Air Force cannot make changes to Air Force Global Strike Command at Barksdale Air Force Base, without Congressional approval. Additionally, the Air Force is prohibited from spending any funds to modify the current structure of the command until that plan is submitted. The package also requires the Government Accountability Office to study ways to improve special education services, including dyslexia, in schools run by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). As ranking member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Cassidy has advocated for improving special education for military children.\n\nProvisions Cassidy secured for Louisiana in the NDAA include:\n\nCassidy also secured $6 million for the new National Disaster Military System Pilot program that will incorporate LSU Health Shreveport into the pilot program to expand emergency medical care during a disaster. That funding was secured in a separate funding bill known as the FY25 Senate Defense Appropriations package.\n\nIn addition to the Louisiana funding secured above, the FY25 NDAA:\n\nSecures a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted servicemembers (E1-E4) and a 4.5% pay raise for all other military members;\n\nCombats \u201cwokeness\u201d within the DOD;\n\nExpands tough-on-China policies;\n\nRebuilds the \u201cArsenal of Democracy\u201d and reforms antiquated DOD procurement process;\n\nEmbraces innovation for counter-drone tech, AI, and quantum computing;\n\nPushes for generational nuclear, hypersonic, missile defense, and space upgrades;\n\nImproves oversight of key Pentagon programs;\n\nProvides support for Israel and bolsters U.S. counter measures against Iran;\n\nReverses shrinking Air Force and expands Navy shipbuilding; and\n\nStops Democrat attempts to revise military annual medical screening forms to include pro-abortion information.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"]], "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://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-secures-key-louisiana-investments-in-national-defense-package-heading-to-presidents-desk/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9807017631828785, "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"}