U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) announced last week that several key provisions that he worked to advance were included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
The Taking Back Congressional Authority Over War Authorization amendment prohibits the United States from spending funds that could lead to war with Iran without express approval from Congress.
The Burn Pit Accountability Act will examine the health effects of open burn pits and other toxic airborne chemicals on veterans and service members. This would be achieved by integrating evaluations into routine health exams.
An amendment that requires efforts to ensure meaningful participation of Afghan women in the Afghan peace process was also included in the NDAA. Casey believes that the United States must ensure continued progress on women’s access to education, participation in the workforce, and representation in government before any withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Another amendment included authorizes the Department of Defense to provide training to academic research institutions and personnel on unclassified and sensitive national security information. This is designed to ensure institutions of higher learning are better protected from cyberattack and that unclassified information is not used as a weapon against U.S. national security interests.
Lastly, an amendment addressing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water and the health effects of these chemicals was included. Casey has been at the forefront of efforts to address contamination in drinking water in Bucks and Montgomery Counties as a result of the use of a toxic firefighting agent at military installations. This amendment authorizes $100 million in grant funding via the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, requires the Environmental Protection Agency to identify and share the sources of PFAS emissions around the country, and sets a deadline for the EPA to set a PFAS cleanup standard for drinking water utilities.