Susan Davis: “I thank Chairman Thornberry and Ranking Member Smith for their leadership during this process. The conference report…”

“I thank Chairman Thornberry and Ranking Member Smith for their leadership during this process. The conference report includes many provisions that will provide the military services flexibility to recruit and retain members of our Armed Forces and to continue our commitment to taking care of military families. One provision I would like to highlight expands maternity leave for military members up to 12 weeks in conjunction with the birth of a child and authorizes 6 weeks of leave for the primary caregiver in the case of adoption. For the first time, it also grants 21 days to the secondary caregiver for both the birth of a child and adoption. The conference report also begins to reform and modernize the military healthcare system by standardizing military treatment facilities across the services and increasing access for beneficiaries. The conference report reforms TRICARE into an HMO and a PPO system, but, unfortunately, it establishes a two-fee structure for the next 50 years, thus creating an inequity in a defined benefit for military retirees. I sincerely hope we can continue to work towards a better solution in the future. Although it is not perfect, this bill is a necessary step toward ensuring our servicemembers, retirees, and their families continue to receive the best, the most efficient, and the most economical health care possible.…”