WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) today secured passage of his Service Members and Communities Count Act as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Paul Amendment No. 1678 requires the U.S. Census Bureau to count all deployed service members at the base or port in which they resided prior to deployment. Presently, deployed members are counted as part of the U.S. overseas population, instead of in the community where they and their families actually reside.
 
In 2010, approximately 10,000 service members stationed at Fort Campbell were deployed from the installation at the time of the census, costing the community in the population count. Sen. Paul’s amendment will ensure that the next census accurately counts the communities where these service members live. Sen. Paul first introduced his bill in 2012.
 
“My Service Members and Communities Count Act will ensure the Kentucky communities that proudly host and serve our Army families receive the resources they need to provide for our military families,” Sen. Paul said.
 
Additionally, Sen. Paul voted in favor of an amendment introduced by Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) which would require the Army to maintain a minimum of 32 brigade combat teams in the regular and reserve components. Since 2013, Kentucky has absorbed a disproportionate amount of active duty Army reductions and transfers at both Fort Campbell and Fort Knox. Had it passed, the amendment would have prevented any further elimination of brigade combat teams in Kentucky and across the country, however it failed 26-73.