Rep. Omar Submits 9 Amendments for the National Defense Budget NDAA
WASHINGTON–Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) introduced nine amendments to the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The amendments aim to center human rights in trade, military, and foreign policy; respond to the brutal civil war in Sudan; hold governments that engage in transnational repression accountable; create flexibility to respond to humanitarian crises in Afghanistan; remediate environmental damage caused by the use of PFAS at overseas military bases; and remove offensive and antiquated language about Indigenous people from military usage.
“Our defense budget continues to fund endless wars that damage our reputation in the world and do not make us any safer in the United States,” said Rep. Omar. “We should reduce our military budget and invest in health care, jobs, education, and housing–not inflate our already bloated defense budget. I am proud to introduce nine amendments that will bring our foreign policy more in line with the values of the Fifth District. My amendments will center human rights, combat climate change, and hold foreign governments accountable for transnational repression violations. I hope we can produce a budget that centers the needs of the American people while meeting our national security needs.”
The amendments introduced by Rep. Omar include:
• Omar #482 – requires a strategy from the State Department and USAID on supporting Sudanese civil society, including the Emergency Response Rooms. Cosponsored by Rep. Lee (PA) and Rep. Kildee.
• Omar #487– requires reporting on the United Arab Emirates’ weapons transfers and policy toward several countries in East and North Africa.
• Omar #622– requires large military contractors to disclose forced labor & trafficking risks in their business operations and supply chains
• Omar #735– requires DoD to submit its strategy for compliance with recommendations from a recent GAO report on law of war compliance in Africa and the Middle East. Cosponsored by Rep. Lee (PA).
• Omar #745– allows the President to waive the prohibition on DoD aircraft transporting items of value to Afghanistan if the President determines that there is a pressing humanitarian need or national interest in doing so
• Omar #1138– directs the Secretary of Defense to develop a process to inform host country governments within 30 days of PFAS contamination and possible health hazards surrounding overseas U.S. military facilities and develop a remediation strategy. Cosponsored by Rep. Dingell and Rep. Jayapal.
• Omar #1170- prohibits arms sales to any country engaged in transnational repression against U.S. citizens
• Omar #1193- expresses a sense of Congress that the use of Indigenous names or signifiers as designations for enemy-held territory or enemy combatants represents an offensive and antiquated attitude towards Indigenous communities
• Omar #1196- repeals the 127(e) program
Additionally, Rep. Omar is cosponsoring the following amendments:
• Lee (CA) #192- reduces the topline Pentagon budget by $100 billion
• Gaetz/Jacobs #669- prohibits the transfer or sale of cluster munitions to any country
• Foster #1011- repeals the prohibition on information sharing under the New START treaty
Full text of the amendments is available here.