Washington, D.C. - Today, Congressman Jimmy Gomez (D - Los Angeles) introduced five amendments to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that address a wide range of issues, including foreign influence on the Trump administration, work-study wage standards for student veterans, peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and protections for immigrants serving in the U.S. military.
The first Gomez amendment to the NDAA would require the Director of the National Intelligence to provide Congress with a report on any efforts made by foreign governments or other foreign entities to bribe or influence the president, his family, or any members of the Trump administration.
“With their shameful, ongoing efforts to shut down the Russia investigation, House Republicans have all but abandoned their responsibility to defend the Constitution,” said Congressman Gomez. “We must protect our democratic institutions from continued attacks again by foreign entities. This amendment will expose attempts by foreign actors to gain influence over the president, his family, or his administration. We must do everything in our power as members of Congress to ensure that President Trump’s foreign entanglements can never again compromise the national security of the United States.”
The second Gomez amendment would raise the minimum wage standard for students enrolled in the Federal Work Study program under the GI Bill. Current law sets the work-study allowance equal to the federal minimum wage or the state minimum wage, whichever is greater. The Gomez amendment would allow the work study allowance to match local government minimum wages if they are set higher than state or federal minimum wages.
“While our country may never be able to truly repay the debt we collectively owe to our men and women serving in uniform, at the very least, we must continue to ensure that our veterans are given the resources they need and deserve as they transition back to civilian life after they return from the battle,” said Congressman Gomez. “This amendment will provide student veterans across the nation the opportunity to earn an education while putting more money in their pockets to meet their responsibilities and the needs of their families.”
The third and fourth Gomez amendments would create new protections for enrollees of Military Ascension Vital to National Interest (MAVNI), a Department of Defense recruitment program that allows for non-resident immigrants with skill sets considered to be vital to the national interest to enlist in the U.S. military. The Gomez amendments would prohibit the removal, detention, or discharge of MAVNI servicemembers whose legal status has lapsed as they await the completion of their security clearance vetting. The amendments would also automatically renew delayed entry and training status for MAVNI servicemembers who are awaiting their security clearance.
“Anyone who puts their life on the line to serve our nation and uphold our freedoms deserves to be treated with dignity and respect – regardless of their immigration status,” said Congressman Gomez. “The notion that patriotic men and women can be detained or denied the opportunity to serve this country because of bureaucratic fatigue and red tape is simply unacceptable. My amendments will give these aspiring Americans the rights and protections they so richly deserve.”
The fifth Gomez amendment is a what is commonly referred to as a “sense of Congress” resolution, expressing a strong opinion against reductions in U.S. troops on the Korean Peninsula until North Korea ceases all hostilities against South Korea, removes all weapons from the Demilitarized Zone, and achieves complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization.
“As a representative of the country’s largest Korean American community, the concerns and feedback of my constituents have always helped guide my legislative efforts in addressing the need for peace on the Korean Peninsula,” said Congressman Gomez. “Now, at this critical point, it is my hope that this resolution will ensure that Congress can both reaffirm its commitment to South Korea – one of our most vital foreign allies – while also heightening the propensity for stability and security in the region.”
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