releases: https://bustos.house.gov/bustos-helps-pass-strong-national-defense-bill-2/
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://bustos.house.gov/bustos-helps-pass-strong-national-defense-bill-2/ | Bustos Helps Pass Strong National Defense Bill | 2020-12-08 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | IL | Cheri Bustos | B001286 | bustos.house.gov | legacy | Bill Includes Key Bustos Provisions Such as Zillow-style Military Real Estate Tool, Pay Raises, Protections for Gold Star Families, National Guardsmen WASHINGTON Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17), a member of the powerful House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, helped pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) out of the House. The bill includes key Bustos provisions to establish a Zillow-style real estate online tool for the Army, strengthen protections for Gold Star families, provide a pay raise for our military, enhance student loan benefits for National Guard and Reserve members and require the Department of Defense to provide answers for its inconsistent and troubling record on National Guard COVID-response funding. The heart of our nation's defense runs right through Northwestern and Central Illinois and that's why I'm proud to help pass a bipartisan, bicameral National Defense Authorization Act today, Congresswoman Bustos said. From the Rock Island Arsenal to the Peoria Air National Guard Base to research facilities in Rockford, this package upholds our region's strong tradition of service and includes critical initiatives that will expand economic and real estate opportunity for our military bases, strengthen protections for Gold Star families, and ensure our National Guard service men and women get the support they deserve. Congresswoman Bustos fought to include the following provisions: Opens up Rock Island Arsenal for growth: The Army will now choose certain installations for a pilot program to catalog unused real estate online, much like Zillow.com does for residential real estate. If the Arsenal is selected, qualifying organizations from state and federal government, academia and the private sector could begin to lease surplus real estate on the Arsenal, right next to the Army's Advanced and Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence. Student Loan Benefits for National Guard: The bill enhances student loan benefits for National Guard and Reserve members. Right now, National Guardsmen and Reservists can receive 15% or $500 (whichever is greater) of student loans forgiven every year. However, because the student loan forgiveness program kicks in during the second year of a National Guard enlistment, many Guardsmen will only receive a total of 75% or $2,500 (whichever is greater) of the student loan forgiveness by the end of a six-year enlistment. Today's bill incorporates parts of Congresswoman Bustos' bipartisan Selected Reserve Education Loan Repayment Program (LRP) Enhancement Act to double the minimum forgiveness to 15% or $1,000 (whichever is greater). Uniforms for Women Servicemembers: In today's bill, Congresswoman Bustos helped include a provision that would authorize a pilot program to provide women in the military access to maternity uniforms at no cost. Pregnancy Discrimination: Congresswoman Bustos also helped include a provision that requires the Department of Defense to develop policies that fight pregnancy discrimination, including reasonable accommodations for a pregnant servicemember's career (like training postponement). Other priorities of Congresswoman Bustos in the bill include: Gives Our Troops a Pay Raise and Protects Their Safety: Authorizes a 3 percent military pay raise, protects their health by cleaning up so-called PFAS forever chemicals and advances justice with improvements to sexual assault prevention and response. Strengthens Our Military Families: Includes important fixes to expand paid parental leave for certain federal civilian employees and addresses the shortage of military child care. This package also includes requirements for improvements to military housing. Addresses Removal of Confederate Names and Symbols from Military Bases: Creates an independent commission to make binding recommendations on modifying or removing all names, symbols, displays, etc. that honor the Confederacy or any person who served voluntarily with the Confederacy. Strengthens Our Military's Tactical Airlift Fleet: This package provides authorization for seven new C-130J aircraft in addition to continued propulsion and propeller upgrades for C-130H aircraft, such as those flown by the Peoria Air National Guard Base. Helps Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange: Provides long-overdue disability and treatment benefits to Vietnam-era veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |