Torres Passes Four Provisions in National Defense Authorization Act
WASHINGTON, DC—Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) today passed four provisions out of the House of Representatives that will likely become law as part of the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (NDAA).
Four provisions is a notable policy footprint, particularly for someone who does not sit on the committee of jurisdiction.
- Cybersecurity: An amendment requiring the Department of Defense, in consultation with the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, to assist small- and medium-sized manufacturers in meeting cybersecurity requirements.
- Deepfakes: An amendment mandating the Department of Defense (DoD) to combat so-called "deepfakes" – propaganda videos that fabricate both the appearance and voice of an individual doing or saying something they never did or said. Torres' amendment mandates the DoD to provide information to Congress and address manipulated media from adversarial sources.
- Anti-Corruption: An amendment instructing the Department of Defense to withhold military aid from specific Central American entities until the Secretary of Defense certifies the recipients will use the aid only as it is intended.
- Una enmienda dirigiendo al Departamento de Defensa que retenga la ayuda militar de ciertas entidades en países de Centroamérica hasta que el Secretario de Defensa certifique que los destinatarios usaran la ayuda militar solamente como se pretende.
- Minority-Serving Institutions: An amendment requiring the Department of Defense (DoD) to improve its engagement with Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions (HBCU/MSIs).
"My first priority as a lawmaker is to fight for my constituents' needs, and represent our community's values in Congress," Rep. Torres said. "My focus on bipartisan leadership and good faith negotiations led to four provisions passing as part of the National Defense Authorization Act today, and I commend my colleagues for embracing good policy when they see it. From a cybersecurity provision that will help manufacturers in the Inland Empire, to Deepfake and anti-corruption measures to keep our country safe, to support for Minority-Serving Institutions that will ensure a diverse STEM workforce at the DoD, the vote today was a win for our community and our ideals."
Congresswoman Torres is a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, which allocates all federal spending. She also sits on the House Rules Committee, where she has influence over the amendment process for every bill considered in the House of Representatives.
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