Lubbock Times

Washington, D.C. – Chairman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) introduced several amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) aimed at enhancing national security. The NDAA will be considered on the House floor later this week.

“The first and most important job of the federal government is to protect our citizens, defend our freedom, and provide for a common defense,” said Arrington. “Sadly, our most imminent security threat to the United States today is self-inflicted. President Biden’s refusal to secure the border and enforce the laws of the land have imperiled the safety of our citizens with criminals, drugs, and terrorist threats pouring into our country. I’ll never stop fighting to ensure our brave law enforcement officers – from our borders to our military bases – have the resources and tools they need to safely and effectively do their jobs and protect the American people.”

Arrington's proposed amendments include measures such as making any alien who charges against the National Guard or a defensive border barrier automatically ineligible for asylum or other immigration statuses, requiring deportation within 72 hours after apprehension. This follows incidents in March where over 100 illegal immigrants charged Texas National Guardsmen in El Paso, with charges later dropped.

Another amendment requires that any alien apprehended attempting to breach a military base have their immigration status revoked indefinitely and be deported within 72 hours. This proposal comes after two Jordanian nationals attempted to breach Marine Corps Base Quantico in May.

Additional amendments aim to double penalties for breaching a military base under 18 USC 1382 from six months to one year in prison and require Congressional briefings from the Department of Defense on attempted base breaches since 2021. Furthermore, one amendment seeks to bar Department of Defense funds from being used to transport Palestinian refugees to the United States.

The NDAA already includes two of Arrington’s amendments honoring Private Second Class Caleb “Smitty” Smither, who died on active duty at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. These amendments direct the Army to report on implementing and enforcing the "Smitty Check" protocol for monitoring service members following an injury and require disclosure on medical records if care was provided by a Department of Defense doctor or a civilian doctor.

###