Reed, Wicker Praise Senate Passage of the FY 2024 National Defense Authorization Act

The United States Senate today passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 by a vote of 87-13.

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

“I am pleased that the Senate has come together to once again pass a strong, bipartisan defense bill. This is a dangerous moment in the world, and the NDAA makes critical progress toward meeting the threats we face. This year’s bill strengthens our military posture and alliances in the Indo-Pacific, helping to secure our interests against China’s expanding ambitions. It supports Ukraine in its heroic fight against Russia, and it enhances our alliance with Israel. The bill will reinvigorate our industrial base and provide our military services with the cutting-edge platforms and technologies they need to keep Americans safe.

“Most importantly, this NDAA takes care of our servicemembers and their families, providing the largest pay raise in decades and improving housing, education, and childcare access. I am proud of this bill and grateful to Senator Wicker and our colleagues in the Senate and House for their partnership.”

Ranking Member Roger Wicker (R-MS) also commented on the bill:

“It has been a great honor to oversee the NDAA as the senior Republican on the Armed Services Committee and work to enact policies that help and protect our military,” Wicker said. “Enemies of freedom are growing more dangerous and capable by the day.

“Our bill should signal to China, Russia, and others that we will not accept a world where America does not have the best fighting force. While I would have preferred to send the President a substantially larger proposed investment in our industrial base, he now should approve the monumental investments Congress intends to make in our servicemembers, warships, submarines, aircraft, and technology.”

The 63rd annual NDAA supports a total of $883.7 billion in fiscal year 2024 funding for national defense. Within this topline, the legislation authorizes $841.4 billion for the Department of Defense (DOD), $32.4 billion for national security programs within the Department of Energy (DOE), and $438.0 million in defense-related activities.

Highlights include:

• Providing funding to support a 5.2 percent pay raise for both military servicemembers and the DOD civilian workforce, the largest increase in decades;
• Deterring China by increasing our investments in the Pacific Deterrence Initiative and establishing the Indo-Pacific Campaigning Initiative;
• Confronting Russia and supporting Ukraine by fully investing in the European Deterrence Initiative and the Ukraine Security Assistance 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 authority to adjust the basic allowance for housing in high-cost areas, and directing improvements to enlisted housing;
• Authorizing increased funding for the military services’ recruiting and advertising activities;
• Strengthening the national supply chain and the defense industrial base, including by providing waivers to streamline the acquisition of defense stocks related to Ukraine and authorizing additional munitions eligible for multiyear procurement contracts;
• 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 FY24 NDAA can be found here.

A summary of the FY24 NDAA can be found here.

The joint explanatory statement of the FY24 NDAA conference can be found here.