Congresswoman Lee Tours Creech AFB, Introduces Legislation to Support Airmen
Download more photos from the Congresswoman's visit here
LAS VEGAS – Yesterday, Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) traveled to Creech Air Force Base (AFB) to meet with base leadership and Airmen, tour the base's facilities, and discuss the challenges that Airmen regularly face. To address these challenges and empower Nevada Airmen and their families, Congresswoman Lee introduced the Creech Airmen Economic Security and Resilience Act this week. This legislation would require an investigation into reinstating Assignment Incentive Pay for Creech Airmen and an assessment of Creech-specific difficulties and options for improving quality of life for Creech personnel and families.
Airmen based at Creech travel about 100 miles to and from base each day at significant personal expense, especially junior Airmen, who are estimated to spend 30% of their income on commuting expenses. Once on-base, Creech Airmen face a uniquely stressful mission: as the only state-side wing conducting 24/7/365 remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) operations, Airmen work long hours and irregular shifts on a critical and challenging mission.
The Creech Airmen Economic Security and Resilience Act would empower Airmen by directing the Secretary of the Air Force to study the feasibility of reinstating Assignment Incentive Pay – financial assistance provided to service members for unusual or extended assignments – and to assess the social and occupational stressors affecting service members and their families stationed at Creech AFB, in order to arrive at recommendations for better supporting them.
"Creech is a unique base with unique challenges for the men and women who serve there to keep our country safe. Yesterday, these men and women told me the same thing – ‘we need more support,'" said Congresswoman Susie Lee. "This legislation takes an important step forward in delivering relief from financial and mental stress for the men and women who are on the front lines of defending our country. I'm proud to partner with Creech AFB leadership identifying these challenges, and I will continue fighting in Congress for those who fight for us each and every day."
Congresswoman Lee introduced this legislation to build on provisions she secured in the recently House-passed fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act. In addition to her support for Creech, she led bipartisan amendments that directed a report on licensure difficulties for military spouses and child care programs, as well as a study on dedicating more DOD infrastructure funding to expand child care options. She led another successful bipartisan amendment directing an investigation of options for expanding the National Guard State Partnership Program—an impactful military-to-military program through which the Nevada National Guard partners with Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa.
You can read more about the Creech Airmen Economic Security and Resilience Act here.
Representing the Third Congressional District of Nevada, Congresswoman Lee is a bipartisan champion for southern Nevada service members and their families. As Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Women's Caucus and Vice Chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus, Congresswoman Lee has been named one of the top ten most bipartisan Members in the U.S. House and the most bipartisan Member from Nevada.
###