July 14, 2025

Duckworth Secures Provisions to Strengthen Public Trust in the Military and Enhance Civil Rights in Committee-Passed NDAA

The Senator also secures provision to require servicemembers be trained on rules regarding use of force on U.S. soil

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] — Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)—successfully secured a provision in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that SASC approved last week and the full Senate will now consider that would strengthen public trust of the military, enhance civil rights and curb misuse of our military for civilian law enforcement. As the Trump Administration continues to send federal agents and our nation’s military into our communities to intimidate their fellow Americans, the Senator’s provision—which is a modified version of her Military in Law Enforcement Accountability (MiLEA) Act—would ensure that servicemembers identify themselves properly to avoid public misunderstanding about who is providing logistical support versus conducting arrests or law enforcement duties.?

“In my own experience serving in the National Guard, I saw firsthand the difference drawing a bright line between the roles of our military and law enforcement can make in terms of maintaining public trust in our military,” said Duckworth. “I’m proud my colleagues agreed that this is a necessary requirement to provide accountability to the public during tense moments when troops might be interacting with citizens, from protests to natural disasters to humanitarian crises, and I hope the rest of my colleagues in the Senate do too.”?

In addition to this provision, Senator Duckworth also secured a provision that would require the Department of Defense to provide legal training to all servicemembers, including a refresher within 90 days of any mobilization or deployment, on their responsibilities under the law of armed conflict, rules of engagement, defense support for civil authorities and standing rules for the use of force within the United States. This provision would ensure all servicemembers know their legal obligations during deployments both at home as well as abroad and protect American civil rights especially in light of the Trump Administration’s increasing misuse of troops to support law enforcement within the United States.

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