{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://larsen.house.gov/press-release/house-passed-defense-policy-bill-includes-larsen-plans-increase-access-food-assistance", "House-Passed Defense Policy Bill Includes Larsen Plans to Increase Access to Food Assistance, Fix TRICARE Loophole & Preserve Protections for LGBTQ Contractors", "2016-12-02", "2016", "2016-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014Today, the U.S. House voted 354\u201334 to approve the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2017\u00a0\u2013 legislation shaped by Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) to include important priorities for Northwest Washington, including Larsen\u2019s plan to clarify that Women, Infants and Children (WIC) food assistance programs can operate on all military bases throughout the country.\n\u201cNo military family should have to go hungry,\u201d said Larsen, who earlier this year won a victory with Senator Murray for military families by successfully pushing the Department of the Navy to reverse its decision to close the WIC office at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. \u201cUnder this bill, military families across the country will have the opportunity to access the same food assistance and nutrition programs that play such a critical role in my District.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\nIn addition, Larsen successfully negotiated a key administrative fix to TRICARE for National Guard members and for the preservation of protections for LGBTQ federal contractors. The bill also authorizes $611.2 billion for national defense \u2013 $3.2 billion above levels set by sequestration.\n\u201cOur military must reflect the people it defends and match the threats our country faces,\u201d said Larsen, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee. \u201cBy rejecting discrimination against LGBTQ contractors, increasing access to food assistance programs for military families and giving our servicemembers a raise and the tools they need succeed \u2013 this bill does just that.\u201d\nLarsen succeeded in removing section 1094 of the House version of the bill \u2013 also known as the \u201cRussell amendment\u201d \u2013 which would have rolled back civil rights for LGBT employees of federal contractors. In his efforts to shape the bill during the conference process, Larsen said the provision would \u201cdirectly undermine protections for LGBT members of the workforce\u2026it could legalize discrimination and should be rejected.\u201d\nAdditionally, Larsen\u2019s amendment to ensure continuous coverage for National Guard members who transition from full-time Federal Duty to State Active Duty status was included. During the response to the 2014 Oso mudslide, National Guard members who made such a transition were forced to temporarily switch to state health insurance \u2013 a process that was disruptive and inefficient for both the state and the federal government. Larsen\u2019s amendment, modeled off of legislation from Rep. Suzan DelBene, will prevent these disruptions in coverage.\nLarsen also secured $5 million for continued research into low enriched uranium for naval reactors. Advanced reactors could one day eliminate the need for highly enriched uranium on Navy ships without sacrificing performance \u2013 thereby achieving both nonproliferation and financial goals by reducing the security needs associated with manufacture, transport, and storage of naval reactor fuel.\nOther provisions in the bill include:\n 2.1% increase in military pay;\n\t$76 million for a Growler maintenance hangar and Triton mission control facility at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island;\n\t$1.2 billion for counter-ISIL programs, and;\n\t$2.88 billion for 15 KC-46A tanker aircraft.\n A summary of the bill is available here.\nThe bill now moves to the Senate for a vote.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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": ["http://larsen.house.gov/press-release/house-passed-defense-policy-bill-includes-larsen-plans-increase-access-food-assistance"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7276968099176884, "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"}