Kings County Times

The House of Representatives has passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025, with Congressman David Valadao voting in favor. The NDAA provides funding for discretionary military programs and activities, including personnel, operations, maintenance, procurement, research, and development. It also sets out important policies and directives for the Department of Defense.

"Today I was proud to vote to provide our military with the critical resources needed to protect the safety of Americans, while also securing quality-of-life improvements and a well-deserved pay raise for our troops," said Congressman Valadao. "This bill ensures our military has the funding, equipment, and training necessary to effectively defend the United States against our adversaries. The passage of the NDAA has been a bipartisan effort for over 60 years, and I am proud that the House of Representatives and Senate have worked to produce a final bill that not only strengthens our defense capabilities but also improves the quality of life for military families, strengthens our southern border, and ensures the Department of Defense is prepared to counter threats against our nation."

Key provisions in the FY25 NDAA include:

- A 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted servicemembers and a 4.5% raise for all other servicemembers.

- $954 million above the President’s request allocated for housing maintenance accounts and over $569 million dedicated to building new family housing units.

- Expanded access to medical care by increasing doctors and nurses working within the DoD.

- Over $176 million allocated for constructing new childcare centers.

- Policy support ensuring Israel can defend itself against Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah.

- Full funding for National Guard troop deployment supporting Border Patrol activities at the southwest border.

- Full funding for military exercises with allies in the Indo-Pacific region aimed at countering China's influence.