Congressman Pappas Applauds Passage of National Defense Authorization Act

Washington, D.C. -- Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) voted to pass the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2020. The bill authorizes $733 billion for the Department of Defense and defense-related activities of the Department of Energy. It secures a strong national defense and provides a pay raise to our men and women in uniform.

This year's National Defense Authorization Act includes several provisions Congressman Pappas introduced and cosponsored to protect the health of our servicemembers and the communities that support them by holding polluters of toxic PFAS chemicals accountable, creating a clearinghouse of information, and banning the DOD's use of PFAS by 2025.

Additionally, the authorization includes language that Congressman Pappas championed to correct a long-standing inequity for our federal workers at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, and other shipyards, who were left without the promotion and pay there were promised due to the suspension of a longstanding program.

"I'm pleased that the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act that provides our brave men and women in uniform the resources they need and includes the amendments I introduced to keep our service members healthy and support our federal workers at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard," said Congressman Pappas. "These provisions, including allowing the EPA to regulate PFAS, creating a PFAS information clearinghouse, and banning the use of PFAS by the Department of Defense by 2025, are some of the most significant steps taken to protect our communities and put an end to the harmful toll these toxins have taken on our neighbors and families."

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