Reed, Wicker Praise Senate Passage of the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act

The United States Senate today passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 by a vote of 85-14.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed (D-RI) released the following statement praising Senate passage of the legislation:

“I am proud that the Senate has voted by a wide, bipartisan margin to pass the NDAA. This is a practical bill that is laser-focused on the threats we face. Recognizing the urgent challenge China poses, this NDAA fully invests in the Pacific Deterrence Initiative and our regional networks, including AUKUS, the Quad, and our multilateral partnerships with Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Taiwan. Among other cutting-edge technologies, the bill authorizes increased funding for our naval vessels, submarines, aircraft, combat vehicles, missile defenses, and UAS platforms to deter adversaries like Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

“Most importantly, this NDAA provides an historic pay raise for our servicemembers, improves healthcare and education benefits for military families, and invests in new barracks and military construction projects. I am proud of this bill and grateful to Senator Wicker and our colleagues in the Senate and House for their partnership.”

Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Roger Wicker (R-MS) also commented on the bill:

“It was again a great honor to see the NDAA through to final passage. During the most dangerous national security moment since World War II, it was appropriate for Congress to put forward a defense bill that prioritizes important defense innovation investments and modernizes some of our most valued weapon systems. This year’s bill also takes care of our people, with a substantial pay raise for servicemembers and a helpful focus on quality-of-life issues for military families. I am grateful to Chairman Reed, as always, for his partnership.

“A return to peace through strength requires a bold downpayment on American hard power, and I remain frustrated that the Congress did not take up the Senate Armed Services Committee’s recommendation to raise the topline of this year’s defense budget by $25 billion. I will continue the conversation I have started about revitalizing our country’s defense industrial base.”

The 64^th annual NDAA supports a total of $895.2 billion in FY 2025 funding for national defense. Within this topline, the legislation authorizes $849.9 billion for the Department of Defense and $33.3 billion for national security programs within the Department of Energy.

Highlights include:

• Authorizing a historic pay raise for military servicemembers;
• Confronting China and Russia by increasing our investments in the Pacific Deterrence Initiative and the European Deterrence Initiative;
• Supporting DOD activities relating to the security partnership among Australia, United Kingdom, and the United States, known as AUKUS;
• Authorizing critical investments in battle force ships, submarines, aircraft, combat vehicles, long-range artillery, and other equipment to maintain our combat advantage;
• Ensuring servicemembers have access to quality housing, including by broadening the eligibility for Basic Needs Allowance, and directing improvements to enlisted housing;
• Requiring a strategy and providing greater resources for counter-UAS technologies and responding to drone incursions;
• Modernizing our military technology and capabilities, including hypersonic weapons, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and biotechnologies;
• Providing increased funding for military construction;
• Maintaining and modernizing our secure, credible nuclear deterrent;
• Advancing the development of various missile defense programs and systems; and
• Strengthening the Department of Defense’s cybersecurity strategy and capabilities.

The NDAA also serves as a legislative vehicle for a number of non-defense authorizations, including several major authorization bills from other committees.

The full text of the FY25 NDAA can be found here.

A summary of the FY25 NDAA can be found here.

The joint explanatory statement of the FY25 NDAA conference can be found here.