Today, the House passed the conference report accompanying H.R. 6395, the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. The report includes three key provisions spearheaded by Rep. Pete Aguilar. The first makes permanent a successful direct-commissioning pilot program established by Rep. Aguilar in 2017 to help the military recruit and retain top cybersecurity talent from institutions like California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB). The second enhances the transparency of the country’s nuclear security by making certain funding for the nuclear program contingent on the release of reports currently being withheld by the Trump Administration. The third expands a yearly report to Congress on white supremacist, extremist and criminal-gang activity within the military by requiring the Pentagon to include in the report the total number of allegations, investigations, and inquiries related to this type of activity. The conference report also includes a three-percent pay raise for active-duty military personnel, requires updates and improvements to military housing and strengthens the military’s ability to respond to COVID-19 and future epidemics.