November 2021

Appropriations

The House Appropriations Committee Defense Subcommittee marked up its FY22 Department of Defense appropriations on June 30. This legislation supports the elimination of the Overseas Contingency Operations funding and contains multiple provisions beneficial for the National Guard. The full committee completed its mark up on July 13 and reported it out of committee on July 15. Next step, the full House considers the legislation.

The Senate Appropriations Committee Defense Subcommittee has released its markup of the FY22 Department of Defense appropriations on October 18. This legislation also supports the elimination of the Overseas Contingency Operations funding and contains multiple provisions beneficial to the National Guard. Next step, Senate Appropriations Committee considers FY22 DoD appropriations legislation.

The US Government is currently funded under a continuing resolution until December 3, 2021. Expect an additional one-to-three month continuing resolution to succeed the current continuing resolution.

NDAA

The House Armed Services Committee completed their markup of the FY22 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on September 1 and the full House passed the FY22 NDAA on September 23. The Senate Armed Services Committee completed their markup of the FY22 NDAA on July 23 and released the full bill on September 22. Next step, the full Senate considers the legislation.

Zero-Cost TRICARE

H.R.3512, Healthcare for our Troops Act, would provide zero-cost TRICARE Reserve Select and dental coverage for all members of the Reserve Component and authorizes TRS eligibility for servicemembers who are federal employees in their civilian capacity. Initial CBO scores estimate this bill to cost $718 million a year. The cost savings of this bill due to streamlining medical spending has yet to be calculated. NGAUS Legislative Staff has continued to garner support for H.R.3512 in both the House and the Senate. There is no Senate companion bill.

Other Legislation

S.1291, Record of Military Service for Members of the Armed Service Act of 2021, would provide a definitive record of military service (DD-214) for all members of the reserve components. This bill would replace NGB Form 22 and would make it easier for Guardsmen to obtain benefits. NGAUS Legislative Staff remains committed to increasing support of this bill in the Senate and gathering support for a companion bill in the House.

Additional legislation NGAUS remains active in shepherding through Congress include: S.1178/H.R.1854 – RECRUIT Act which authorizes small business an additional tax credit for employing members of the Guard and Reserve and S.1859/H.R.3626 which provides incentive and bonus pay parity for the Guard and Reserve.

NGAUS Legislative Staff continues to engage Congress to ensure that the National Guard remains concurrently and proportionally equipped and modernized equal to the Active Component, as well as socializing Space National Guard as the reserve component of Space Force.