Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC – Earlier this evening [Tuesday, September 17], Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA) was named by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to serve on the conference committee for the FY20 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a bill that authorizes funding for the Department of Defense for the next fiscal year. In Rep. Trahan’s capacity as a conferee, she will represent both the House Education and Labor Committee and the House Armed Services Committee during conference.

“It is an honor and a privilege to be selected as a conferee for the fiscal year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act Conference Committee. As a Member of the House Armed Services Committee, I am well aware of the increased threats our nation faces every day -- especially in the growing cyber arena,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “I was proud to help pass a defense authorization through The Armed Services Committee and the full House that recognized Massachusetts’ central role in providing for our national defense, and improved our military’s readiness and capabilities in a volatile and changing world. I look forward to getting this critically important legislation through the final stages in order to provide our men and women in uniform with the pay increase they deserve, make critical investments in technology to safeguard our cyber infrastructure, and continue our progress towards combating sexual assault in the military.” 

The conference committee is a temporary, bicameral committee established to resolve differences between the two versions of the NDAA. During this process, Democratic and Republican members of the House and Senate (appointed by the majority leadership of both chambers) will work through differences and then send a final product back to each chamber. Once the conference report comes back to the House and Senate for approval, it cannot be amended. It is an “up or down” vote—meaning take it or leave it. Once passed, the bill will then be sent to the President for his signature. 

Congresswoman Lori Trahan serves on the House Armed Services Committee and on the Military Personnel and Intelligence, Emerging Threats, and Capabilities Subcommittees.

###