WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul this week introduced the following amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). As a fierce advocate for our nation’s armed forces and staunch defender of Kentucky’s Fort Campbell and Fort Knox, Sen. Paul introduced two amendments specifically designed to protect Kentucky’s military installments.

Amendment No. 1678 would require the Census Bureau to count all deployed service members at the base or port in which they resided prior to deployment. This much-needed change will create one consistent and logical method for the counting of deployed service members. From 2009 through 2010, thousands of service members were sent to Afghanistan to support the surge efforts, which overlapped with the 2010 census collection.

“Families and communities provide a vital role in supporting the men and women protecting our nation’s freedom in the Armed Forces. My amendment would count the deployed service members according to where they actually live, creating a better representation of the population and ensuring the communities have the resources needed to support our troops and their families,” Sen. Paul said.

Amendment No. 1679 would specifically allow the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to produce natural gas at Fort Knox.

“While the development of natural gas resources underlying federal lands is generally the responsibility of the Department of the Interior, my amendment would provide an exception for previously existing natural gas development at Fort Knox.  Allowing the Department of Defense to produce natural gas at Fort Knox would not only be cost-effective for the government, but beneficial for the Fort Knox community,” Sen. Paul said.

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