WASHINGTON—The House of Representatives yesterday passed Congresswoman Katie Porter (D-CA)’s proposals to strengthen protections for servicemembers in military housing, crack down on corruption at the Pentagon, and improve the military’s climate resiliency. Porter, who co-chairs the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC)’s Climate and National Security Task Force, also secured several amendments to a House-passed bill that prioritize climate action in national security planning.

“Honoring our nation’s commitment to military families and advocating for taxpayers are two of my top priorities,” said Porter.“I’m glad my House colleagues agree that we must do more to protect families in military housing, and I’m proud that several of my proposals to safeguard tax dollars, including by stomping out corruption and taking urgent climate action, were approved on a bipartisan basis.”

Porter’s proposals, which were included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023, would:

• Require landlords of privatized military housing to disclose the presence and health effects of life-threatening mold before a lease is signed,
• Prohibit senior officials at the Department of Defense from owning or trading stocks of companies that receive over $1 billion in taxpayer dollars from the Pentagon in a year,
• Require top officials to designate military installations as energy resilience testbeds to demonstrate innovative energy resilience technologies,
• Establish a pilot program to begin transitioning non-tactical vehicle fleets to electric vehicles,
• Establish a pilot program to explore the use of sustainable aviation fuel,
• Support continuing education for Department of Defense personnel related to sustaining mission resilience and envirophysical risk management, and
• Authorize additional resources to advance national security through investing in four Department of Defense offices dedicated to mission resilience, energy assurance, and envirophysical risk management.

Porter has consistently pushed to match America’s gratitude for our servicemembers, military families, and veterans with action. She is leading Congressional oversight efforts of toxic exposures for veterans and military families formerly stationed at Fort Ord, California. She has also spearheaded legislation to improve mental health care for servicemembers, their families, and veterans, and has fought for transparency and accountability in the VA Home Loan program.

A taxpayer advocate, Porter has fought to stamp out waste, fraud, and abuse in government, including at the Department of Defense. She has pushed to boost transparency at the Pentagon, held defense contractors accountable for defrauding taxpayers, and has demanded answers from a top military official regarding the agency’s flouting Congressional oversight measures. She has also repeatedly fought for taxpayers by sounding the alarm on the sky-high costs of not acting on climate.

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