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Legislation named after a Fort Bragg, N.C., soldier that will allow some members of the military to file claims to be compensated by the government for medical malpractice is one step closer to being signed into law, after the House of Representatives passed the bill Wednesday.

It is a significant departure from decades of existing law — guided by the Feres Doctrine, so called because of a 1950 Supreme Court case — which prevents military service members from suing for compensation for injuries that were a result of military negligence.

SALISBURY — The word “partnerships” was underlined and starred on the notes of Rep. Ted Budd’s District Director Kyle Bridge as he met with Salisbury Karen Alexander on Thursday.

The meeting first started out as a “thank you” to the congressmen for helping secure a transit grant and to talk about the city’s wish list of projects and those needs — its Federal Action Plan for 2020.

“You have given our city a gift, and now I’m asking for more,” Alexander said.

“Sorry, it’s my job,” she continued.

Sgt. 1st Class Richard Stayskal, of Pinehurst, may have won his year-long battle for military medical malpractice reform.

The U.S. House passed the bipartisan conference report for the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which included a provision U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson led to allow service members recourse in Department of Defense medical malpractice.

WASHINGTON — The House on Wednesday passed its annual defense policy measure, which combined a $738 billion Pentagon price tag with legislation to provide federal employees with 12 weeks of paid parental leave.

The sweeping 377-48 vote followed weeks of arduous House-Senate negotiations that finally yielded a traditionally bipartisan measure, stripped of many add-ons sought by Democrats controlling the House.