Hagan votes for National Defense Authorization Act

Hagan/Portman combat Casualty Care Amendment aims to provide troops better care and increase mortality

U.S. Sen. Kay R. Hagan (D-N.C.) on Thursday, Dec. 1, voted for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes funding for the Department of Defense and all military and defense related activities. Hagan’s Combat Casualty Care Amendment was included in the final NDAA bill. Hagan also voted in favor of provisions under NDAA that would clarify the applicability of requirements for military custody with respect to detainees. The NDAA bill passed the Senate by a vote of 93 to 7.
“I am committed to ensuring our servicemembers, veterans and their families have all the resources and support they need and deserve,” Hagan said. “This bill provides our troops those resources, support, protections and authorities they need to carry out their missions.”
The Combat Casualty Care Amendment that Hagan introduced on Nov. 17 with Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) requires the Department of Defense to carry out a study on measures to improve combat casualty care and increase the number of lives saved on the battlefield.
“This amendment will help guarantee those serving in combat zones receive the very best combat casualty care, and could help save lives on the battlefield,” Hagan said. “It is our duty to do everything we can to provide our the men and women serving on the frontlines with the absolute best care. They deserve nothing less.”
To view the Hagan/Portman Combat Casualty Care Amendment in full, please click here.
Hagan also voted in support of amendments to the NDAA introduced by Sen. Diane Feinstein that would clarify provisions related to detention of terrorists. Feinstein Amendment No. 1456 passed the Senate by a vote of 99 to 1 and was included in the final NDAA.
"My top priority is to provide our country with the authority and flexibility needed to guard against terrorist threats," Hagan said. "I believe that these were reasonable modifications to ensure that the provisions only applied to individuals captured outside the United States and upheld existing U.S. law."
Hagan hails from a strong military family—her father-in-law was a two-star Marine General; her brother and father served in the Navy; her husband, Chip, is a Vietnam Veteran who used the GI Bill to help pay for law school; and she has two nephews who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
North Carolina is the most military-friendly state in the nation, and, as the chair of the Senate Armed Services Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee, Hagan is working to keep it that way.