Congressman Cleaver Votes for National Defense Authorization Act, Pay Raise for Servicemembers

December 8, 2021
Press Release

(Washington, D.C.) – Last night, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) voted in favor of S. 1605, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (NDAA). The bipartisan defense funding bill provides a pay raise and additional support to American servicemembers and their families, strengthens our national security and foreign policy apparatus, and makes critical investments in innovation and emerging technologies to ensure the U.S. maintains its position as a global leader militarily and technologically. Included in this year's NDAA are two amendments sponsored by Congressman Cleaver to enhance security operations and reduce the spread of COVID-19 among TSA workers and airline passengers and to study the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network's (FinCEN) ability to enforce the Bank Secrecy Act. With passage in the House of Representatives last night, the bill will now go to President Biden's desk to be signed into law.

"After months of good-faith, bipartisan, and bicameral negotiations, I'm pleased to see Congress come together to pass a NDAA that provides a much-needed raise to our men and women in uniform, long overdue support for military families, key investments for research and development that will allow our military to remain the envy of the world, and more," said Congressman Cleaver. "I'm proud to have had two amendments included in this year's NDAA—one that will protect our heroic TSA workers and air travelers from the spread of COVID and another to strengthen the Bank Secrecy Act, so the U.S. has the tools needed to combat 21st century illicit financial activity in the homeland and abroad. This is by no means a perfect bill, but it is a fair compromise that will give the American public peace of mind, knowing they are protected from any potential threats that may arise in the years to come."

Rep. Cleaver introduced three amendments to the NDAA, two of which were adopted into the legislation with bipartisan support, including:

  • The Security Screening During COVID-19 Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Rep. Cleaver in March that would direct the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to issue and begin implementing a plan to enhance security operations during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce the spread of the virus among TSA employees and airline passengers.
  • Directing the Treasury Department to study the efficacy of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network's (FinCEN) delegation authority in an effort to bolster enforcement of the Bank Secrecy Act, which prevents criminals from using financial institutions to hide or launder money for nefarious purposes. The amendment is a complement to the bipartisan COUNTER Act, introduced by Congressman Cleaver and signed into law last year, which provides sweeping reforms to improve the ability of the United States to protect national security and safeguard our financial systems from bad actors.

Additional provisions from the NDAA that were supported by Rep. Cleaver include:

  • Improving the quality of life for our men and women in uniform by authorizing a 2.7 percent pay raise, increasing the allowable parental leave for primary and secondary caregivers in military families, expanding the in-home childcare pilot program, and making critical improvements to military health care, including easier access to mental health services;
  • Historic investments in innovation and emerging technologies to strengthen our national security, including a 36 percent increase in defense-wide basic and applied research and development, as well as significant increases in academic partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities;
  • Strengthening our partnerships and alliances to ensure the U.S. remains a global leader and defender of democratic values in the face of a troubling rise in authoritarian states around the world;
  • Establishing a $15 minimum wage for Department of Defense service and construction contracts;
  • Critical procedural changes to combat sexual assault in the military, including removing the Commander from decisions related to the prosecution of sexual assault crimes and instead creating an Office of Special Victim Prosecutor to prosecute these crimes; and
  • Providing $500 million in relocation support for Afghan SIV holders.

Congressman Cleaver also cosponsored an amendment that was adopted into the NDAA:

  • One provision from the Counter-Kleptocracy Act, which was co-introduced by Rep. Cleaver in September and would establish priorities of U.S. engagement at INTERPOL, identify areas for improvement in the U.S. government's response to INTERPOL abuse, and protects the U.S. judicial system from abusive INTERPOL notices.

"The safety and security of the Fifth Congressional District of Missouri is my utmost priority and responsibility as a representative in Congress," said Congressman Cleaver. "I'm proud of my work to garner bipartisan support for provisions that will ensure our TSA workers and airline passengers are better protected from COVID-19 and our financial system is better able to root out financial corruption and illicit actors that prey on working class Americans. As this bill heads to the President's desk, I will continue working with my colleagues in Congress to find bipartisan solutions that ensure our troops and their families have the support they need and deserve in the years ahead."

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development, and Insurance; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.