Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2023. Indeed, authorizing and then appropriating funding for our national defense is of the greatest importance to our nation and to the world, and I am proud of the consensus reached and bipartisan cooperation that marked the authorization process in the House.
While President Biden’s first two budgets demonstrate that he wants to continue the chronic underfunding of the Obama-Biden years, the House NDAA rejects such a misguided approach and sets the stage to adequately fund our defense needs. It calls for spending $850 billion on defense in fiscal year 2023, which represents a 7 percent increase over the previous year and a $37 billion increase over the president’s budget request. This increase would also support ongoing missions at the Fourth District’s Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City and Fort Sill in Lawton.
The bill also includes a surely deserved 4.6 percent pay raise for our service members and authorizes funding to provide additional support to offset the inflation caused by the Biden Administration’s disastrous economic policies. Furthermore, it ensures that we would have funding to build 13 new battle fleet ships and would only retire 12 ships, thus continuing progress toward the goal of a 350-ship strong Navy. It also provides appropriate investments in modern technologies and new weapons systems, which would improve our warfighting capabilities into the 21st century.
At a time when we are witnessing continued strife on the international stage, it is more important than ever that Congress speaks with a unified voice when setting defense policy and funding priorities. From Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan and communist China’s ongoing aggression in Asia and the Pacific Rim, America’s adversaries are becoming emboldened. It is the responsibility of Congress to act to set appropriate defense policies to ensure these aggressive actors are countered and deterred and our allies receive the support they need. This NDAA keeps the United States on track to counter our adversaries and their threats.
Indeed, this year’s House version of the NDAA exemplifies what we can accomplish when both parties put partisan differences aside and work across the aisle together. For 61 years, the NDAA has become law with broad bipartisan and bicameral support, which is a true testament to what we can achieve when we focus on our shared goals as a nation and realize the needs of our national defense. It’s worth noting that the House Armed Services Committee reported the bill passed in the House with only a single vote against it, which demonstrates the kind of consensus and the resulting bipartisan product possible because of a process that ensured all voices were heard and all ideas were considered.
Although there is more work ahead to arrive at a final NDAA that can reach the president’s desk, I am encouraged by the House’s starting position, which sends a clear message that, in this dangerous world, America is committed to ensuring military readiness as well as offering our allies the support they need to protect themselves. As we move ahead, I am optimistic we would ensure the excellent work on behalf of our military is not marred by divisive political issues.