On November 8, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) welcomed the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2018, as announced by the House-Senate Conference Committee. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the conference committee, Sen. Blumenthal fought for provisions in the defense bill to bolster U.S. military capabilities and to assist Ukraine through the Ukrainian Security Assistance Initiative.
A press release from the senator’s office welcomed conference completion of the defense bill and described funds secured for critical Connecticut defense sectors. It also noted:
“Blumenthal also fought for provisions to support service members and improve defense policy, including:
“Aiding Wounded Ukrainian Soldiers: Blumenthal partnered with Connecticut’s Ukrainian American community to secure a provision that creates a new funding authority for the treatment of wounded Ukrainian soldiers at DoD [Department of Defense] military treatment facilities, as well as provides for the training and education for Ukrainian healthcare specialists to provide continuing care and rehabilitation services for their soldiers. Ukrainian soldiers are currently able to come to America to be treated at military facilities when Ukraine cannot provide adequate care, but funding is not guaranteed and is often unaffordable. This legislation will provide a new route through the Ukrainian Security Assistance Initiative to cover medical care and associated costs at DoD treatment facilities.”
Joining Sen. Blumenthal in lauding the achievement was key co-sponsor of the legislation, Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and co-chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus. Sen. Portman’s pro-active engagement, which lent the bill bipartisan support, was obtained through the auspices of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America and its Washington-based Ukrainian National Information Service.
An excerpt from Sen. Portman’s November 9 press release reads:
“As amended by Portman’s provisions, which he introduced with Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), the FY 2018 NDAA authorizes $350 million in security assistance, including lethal and non-lethal equipment, training and technical assistance. For the first time, the amendment authorizes assistance to bolster Ukraine’s naval capabilities, which were severely degraded following Russia’s seizure of Crimea. The amendment also conditions U.S. aid on progress towards key reforms, including instituting civilian control of the military, cooperation and coordination with Ukrainian parliamentary efforts to exercise oversight of the Ministry of Defense and military forces, and improvements in sustainment capabilities, inventory management and security of sensitive foreign technologies.”
It should be noted that the $350 million authorized for assisting Ukraine in Fiscal Year 2018 is $200 million more than the $150 million originally proposed by the administration.
Two key Connecticut legislators who provided critical support for this legislation on the House side were Reps. Rosa DeLauro and Joe Courtney, both Democrats.
Rep. DeLauro, a longtime supporter of New Haven’s Ukrainian American community, mobilized colleagues and key House legislators, including Rep. Marcy Kaptur and members of Ukraine’s Congressional Caucus, to write a joint letter urging support for the NDAA Ukraine provisions. The correspondence addressed to the leadership of the House Armed Services Committee – Chairman Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) and Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-Wash.) – was impactful as a prelude to the October 25 start of the conference to reconcile the Senate and House versions of the NDAA.
Rep. Courtney, a member of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), serves on the powerful Sea Power and Projection Forces Subcommittee as well as the Readiness Subcommittee. The congressman’s guidance and inside support proved to be crucial during the intensive lobbying campaign of HASC members. This campaign was conducted by the Ukrainian American Veterans in Washington the week of October 23, just as the joint conference was beginning its deliberations.
The final conference report can be found at http://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/ 20171113/HRPT-115-HR2810.pdf; the section about Ukraine is on page 997.
The jointly adopted 2018 NDAA legislation was passed and now awaits President Donald Trump’s signature.
Myron Melnyk is a community activist from New Haven, Conn., and Ukrainian American Veterans lead on the Ukraine Wounded Soldiers Project.