{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-advances-key-national-security-priorities-for-texas-and-america-in-fiscal-year-2025-national-defense-authorization-act", "Sen. Cruz Advances Key National Security Priorities for Texas and America in Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act", "2024-12-18", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement securing passage of eight provisions in the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), securing critical wins for Texas military communities, service members, and national security.\n\nUpon passage, Sen. Cruz said, \u201cThe FY25 NDAA includes many significant provisions for Texas and our national security. It incorporates eight of my high-priority requests, including my COMMAND Act, which ensures that all newly commissioned officers receive training on the U.S. Constitution, and the UNFURL Act, which allows uniformed servicemembers to participate in the ceremonial unfurling of large American flags at sporting events. Additionally, it includes my provision authorizing a transfer of land from Fort Bliss to El Paso\u2019s Water Public Service Board to enhance flood control\u2014an essential infrastructure improvement for the region\u2014and directs the Department of Defense to share the information of highly qualified applicants to our Military Service Academies with our Senior Military Colleges, including Texas A&M University.\n\nThe NDAA also contains important provisions aimed at protecting our children and families. It prohibits TRICARE from providing puberty blockers or sterilization treatments to minors and reallocates wasteful diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) funding to critical counter-narcotics efforts. This legislation also provides a long overdue salary increase for our servicemen and women. And critically, it does not contain a Senate Democrat provision that would have required women to register for the draft. I have long opposed that proposal and will continue to do so.\n\nI am proud of the accomplishments within this bill, and I will continue to advocate for accountability, readiness, and the strength of our armed forces.\u201d\n\nBACKGROUND\n\nKey Sen. Cruz Legislative Provisions:\n\nUNFURL Act: Amends the U.S. Flag Code to permit uniformed military servicemembers to participate in the ceremonial unfurling of large American flags at sporting events.\n\nCOMMAND Act: Requires the Department of Defense to provide constitutional training for all newly commissioned military officers.\n\nAdditional Funding for Joint Task Force North: Authorizes a $25M increase in funds to help JTF-N counter transnational criminal organizations along the southwest border\n\nFort Bliss Land Conveyance: Authorizes the Army to convey land to the El Paso Water Public Service Board to improve flood control.\n\nPublic Schools on Military Installations: Requires an updated assessment schools on military bases, enabling new schools in temporary housing to become eligible for consideration of permanent facilities.\n\nMotor Pools at Fort Cavazos: Secures $147 million for two critically needed motor pools.\n\nService Academy Information Sharing: Directs the Military Service Academies to refer interested applicants to senior military colleges, including Texas A&M University, enhancing recruitment efforts.\n\nSTOP TRANQ Act: Requires the Department of State to include reporting on xylazine (\u201ctranq\u201d) in the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report.\n\nSenate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Ranking Member Cruz Legislative Provisions:\n\nTexas A&M University\u2019s State Maritime Academy: Secures training of seamen for strategic sealift.\n\nVeteran Transitions: Removes barriers for veterans transitioning to the maritime industry by removing duplicative bachelor\u2019s degree requirements.\n\nDeepwater Ports: Expedites the process for amended license applications for deepwater ports, helping companies like Delphin Midstream in Houston.\n\nCategorical Exclusions: Clarifies that MARAD can use additional categorical exclusions that are already available to the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, and Federal Transit Administration to streamline the permitting of certain port projects. The provision also directs MARAD to start a rulemaking to consider additional categorical exclusions.\n\n\u2018Learning Period\u2019 Extension: Extends the federal moratorium on potentially burdensome commercial spaceflight regulations known as the \u2018learning period.\u2019\n\nCo-Sponsored Provisions:\n\nJROTC Expansion: Reduces the minimum student count required to qualify for a JROTC program to 50 students, expanding educational opportunities for Texas students.\n\nMedical Liability Clarification: Requires the DOD to improve transparency and accountability concerning the use of healthcare contractors in the military health system.\n\nNDAA Highlights for Texas:\n\nPersonnel and Readiness:\n\nDelivers a 14.5% pay increase for junior enlisted servicemembers and 4.5% for all others.\n\nExpands JROTC programs and improves childcare access for military families.\n\n$25M increase in funds to help JTF-N counter transnational criminal organizations along the southwest border.\n\nAnti-Woke Provisions:\n\nHalts DOD funding of gender dysphoria treatments via TRICARE.\n\nProhibits promotion of CRT and freezes DEI hiring for a year.\n\nRequires constitutional training for all new officers.\n\nFunds Authorized for Military Construction in Texas:\n\n$147M for two motor pools at Fort Cavazos\n\n$44M for a rail yard at Fort Bliss\n\n$12.8M for a B-21 fuel lab at Dyess Air Force Base\n\n$18.5M for a B-21 refueller truck yard at Dyess Air Force Base\n\n$215M for a basic training classroom at Joint Base San Antonio\n\n$77M for barracks at Fort Sam Houston\n\n$38M for a T-7A Ground Based Training System at Laughlin Air Force Base\n\n$18M for a T-7 Unity Maintenance Training Facility at Laughlin Air Force Base\n\n$79.3M for a general-purpose warehouse at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi\n\n$130M for a C-130J fuel cell building at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth\n\n$75M for aircraft hangar repair at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth\n\n$24M to renovate family housing at Lackland Air Force Base\n\n$34M for a vehicle paint shop at Red River Army Depot\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.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-advances-key-national-security-priorities-for-texas-and-america-in-fiscal-year-2025-national-defense-authorization-act"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.7207178752869368, "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"}