Nicholas Panipinto
Both houses of Congress last week overwhelmingly voted to override the president’s veto and pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021, which includes an amendment offered by U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) to reduce U.S. military training accidents.
Rep. Buchanan’s amendment requires the Pentagon to examine emergency medical services at U.S. military bases. The measure was spurred by the death of one of the congressman’s constituents, U.S. Army Specialist (SPC) Nicholas Panipinto of Bradenton, Fla., who died in November 2019 during a training accident at Camp Humphreys in South Korea when the fighting vehicle he was driving overturned during a road test. Numerous safety and training failures contributed to SPC Panipinto’s death, including a lack of medical services on base and delays in medical response to the scene of the accident, according to Rep. Buchanan’s office.
“The death of Specialist Panipinto is a tragedy that never should have happened,” Rep. Buchanan said. “That’s why I will keep working to end the heartbreaking and increasingly frequent number of military training accidents. I know how much these reforms mean to Nick’s family and I sincerely hope that this new law will ensure that no other family has to endure similar heartache.”
Specifically, Rep. Buchanan’s amendment requires the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to examine emergency response capabilities and services currently available at U.S. military bases around the world and to report to Congress on the potential benefits and feasibility of requiring bases to have properly functioning MedEvac helicopters and fully-stocked military ambulances, according to a summary provided by his office.
The NDAA, H.R. 6395, received approval from both chambers of Congress and was presented to President Donald Trump on Dec. 11 for his signature to make the bill law. However, the president on Dec. 23 vetoed the bill. Subsequently, the House on Dec. 28 voted 322-87 to override the veto, and the Senate followed suit on Jan. 1 with a vote of 81-13 to pass the bill, which authorizes FY 2021 appropriations and sets forth policies for DOD programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation.