Rep. Smith Statement on House Passage of FY 2024 National Defense Authorization Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith today released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), sending the bill to the President’s desk to be signed into law. The bill passed by a vote of 310 to 118.
“Today’s passage of the NDAA adds to our long history on the House Armed Services Committee of delivering bipartisan and bicameral legislation that fulfills the obligation of Congress to provide for a strong national security and defense. This year’s bill invests in our service members, civilian workers, and their families by providing a 5.2% pay raise for service members and investing in housing, child care, career opportunities, health care, and other quality of life needs. It includes the highest level of funding authorization for HBCUs in any NDAA ever. It also continues our commitment to addressing the impacts of climate change and promoting clean energy by authorizing $650 million in energy resilience and energy conservation projects. The NDAA also prioritizes investments in innovation and technology to ensure that America stays at the cutting edge of emerging technologies. In this time of global crisis, the bill crucially reaffirms our commitments to our allies and partners to combat the threats we face throughout the globe and advance peace and stability.
“Importantly, this bill rejects the harmful provisions included in the bill House Republicans passed in July that attacked essential reproductive and LGBTQ+ health care for service members and their families, undermined President Biden’s executive orders on climate change, and drastically expanded the 1033 program. Democrats were successful in removing these provisions from the final bill to protect the health and well-being of service members and their families. The bill is far from perfect, but it reflects hard fought compromise in a time of partisan gridlock and a strong national defense that advances U.S. priorities at home and abroad.”
The final text summary of the FY 2024 NDAA can be found here.
As a senior member of Democratic Leadership in the House, Rep. Adam Smith serves as the Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, where he helps shape the national defense bill and is a champion for our military members and their families and a long-time advocate of strengthening American diplomacy and development.
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