Sen. Hirono Named to NDAA Conference Committee

On Tuesday, July 10, 2018, Sen. Mazie K. Hirono was named to the Senate-House Conference Committee for the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The conference committee will resolve differences between Senate and House versions of the bill.

“The Senate-passed NDAA includes a number of critical Hawaii priorities, and I will fight to ensure that they are preserved in conference,” Sen. Hirono, the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee said. “I will also continue to advocate for measures that will benefit our service members and our country, such as supporting Department of Defense employees who travel to meet critical workforce needs, continuing our nation’s engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, and strengthening energy resilience.”

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Hirono authored and supported provisions in the Senate-passed NDAA that authorizes military construction projects in Hawai‘i, prevents per diem reductions for Department of Defense employees, closes a dangerous loophole that allows convicted abusers to purchase firearms, and promotes sustainable energy assurance and resiliency across our Armed Forces.

Sen. Hirono also voted in favor of a motion offered by Senate Armed Service Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-R.I.) to instruct conferees to reaffirm the importance of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the United States’ commitment to meeting its obligations under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.