On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Congressmen Mike Rogers (R-AL03) and Robert Aderholt (R-AL04) released statements applauding the House passage of the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
“Our nation faces unprecedented threats – the National Defense Authorization Act has never been more vital,” said Rep. Rogers. “With today’s passage of the FY24 NDAA, Congress has sent a strong message to our adversaries. The FY24 NDAA provides our military with the vital authorities, resources, and capabilities that our warfighters need to stay ahead of our adversaries. The FY24 NDAA supports our servicemembers, guts Biden’s woke agenda, deters China, and strengthens our military. I urge President Biden to quickly sign this bill into law.”
Rogers is the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, which is tasked with preparing the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act each year.
“Today, I voted in favor of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act, the NDAA, authorizing critical funds for our nation’s military,” said Rep. Aderholt. “I am proud to support a 5.2% pay raise for our troops, directing the Department of Defense to help secure our Southern border, and scrutinizing the Biden Administration’s politicized basing decision that would deny the US SPACE COMMAND its rightful and preferred home in Alabama.”
Aderholt said that the new NDAA contains a number of key priorities for Alabama.
“On top of all of that, we’ve continued our support for hypersonics being built right here in the 4th District in Courtland and given a boost to domestic shipyards like the ones in Mobile,” said Aderholt. This bill also takes significant steps to counter the Chinese Communist Party at home by securing our supply chains and abroad by strengthening our deterrence capabilities in the Indo-Pacific.”
Aderholt said that the NDAA also strengthens U.S. alliances.
“This bill sends a much-needed message of leadership to our friends and allies,” said Aderholt. “I am particularly encouraged by the provisions that will facilitate the AUKUS partnership between the U.S., U.K., and Australia, as well as the timely provisions to assist Israel and Taiwan, respectively. Further, I am reassured by the establishment of additional safeguards for our security assistance to Ukraine in the form of the Special Inspector General dedicated to ensure American taxpayer dollars are not wasted.”
An earlier House version of the NDAA contained several partisan Republican provisions that led to a political impasse over the bill with the Senate. Many of those GOP planks were ultimately removed in the final, more bipartisan version of the NDAA, including an amendment overturning President Biden’s controversial military abortion policy.
“Despite our many policy wins, the reality of a divided government means that Republicans did not get everything we wanted,” Aderholt stated bluntly. ”I am deeply disappointed that Senate Democrats were able to strip out of a House-passed provision that would overturn President Biden’s unconstitutional policy of reimbursing servicemembers’ abortion travel costs. However, we were able to take an axe to the leftist, woke agenda that Democrats have been forcing on our military. We have put a hiring freeze for social justice warriors in the DoD, prohibited the use of federal funds to promote critical race theory, and undone the injustice done to our servicemembers who were wrongfully punished for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.”
The NDAA has already passed the United States Senate. It now goes to the President’s desk for his signature. With the NDAA passed, Congress can now go on its Christmas holiday. They will address the FY2024 budget bills in January.
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