Wilson on House Passage of FY25 NDAA

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Joe Wilson, Senior Member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement after the House voted on passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025. The bill now awaits approval by the Senate, then will be sent to the President for his signature into law.

"I am grateful to have voted in favor of the bipartisan FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This bill represents the commitment of Congress to our service members, their families, and our national security, while also supporting funding for critical missions in my district and around South Carolina.

"Congress has a duty to ensure our Armed Forces are prepared to face the threats of today and tomorrow, and the NDAA this year not only prioritizes increasing our capability but ensures that our service members are taken care of both professionally and personally.

"As a 31-year veteran and father with four sons who have served overseas in the military, I am deeply committed to ensuring the Department of Defense (DoD) has every available resource to deter our adversaries, support our allies, strengthen our communities, and, when necessary, fight and win against hostile aggressors, foreign and domestic."

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE FY25 NDAA

Improve Service Member Quality of Life

"No service member should have to worry about making ends meet or putting food on the table. The FY25 NDAA will boost service member compensation.

"Among other areas of support, this legislation will give junior enlisted service members a 14.5 percent pay raise; improve unaccompanied housing for service members; expand access to specialty medical care for service members; and provide them with direct access to specialty medical providers by waiving the TRICARE referral requirement."

Modernize our Nuclear Triad for Deterrence

"This year's NDAA reconfirms the support to modernize our nuclear triad. The Chinese Communist Party is currently undergoing an unprecedented build-up of their nuclear arsenal, while Russia and North Korea continue to test and improve their delivery vehicle capability. All this while the Iranian Regime sponsors terrorism throughout the region and is in the midst of producing its first nuclear weapon. The United States cannot be complacent and risk its national security.

"I was also grateful that the FY25 NDAA fully supports and requires plutonium pit production at the Savannah River Site and Los Alamos National Laboratory. It is clear that the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) must do everything possible to restore this vital capability as quickly as possible and without delay."

Improve Recruitment

"With Fort Jackson, located in the 2^nd Congressional District, training over 50 percent of our Army, it is vital that our military meets its recruitment goals. The FY25 NDAA improves recruitment by increasing funding for Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) programs; extends military recruitment bonuses; and creates a professional recruiting military occupational specialty."

"Furthermore, the FY25 NDAA authorizes funding to build new housing and improve existing housing; expands programs that provide employment support to military spouses; and mitigates staffing shortages at DoD childcare facilities by improving pay and benefits for childcare staff."

Secure America's Border

"I am grateful this year's NDAA fully supports the deployment of National Guard troops to the border; provides DoD with additional resources to combat counternarcotics; and authorizes the construction of a new Joint Inter-Agency Task Force Command and Control facility to detect and stop illegal immigrants."

Secure PiLT Funding for Savannah River Site Communities

"As the only Member of Congress to have worked at the Savannah River Site, I know how critical the communities surrounding the Site are to support its mission. This bill includes full funding for Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PiLT) for the counties of Aiken, Barnwell, and Allendale.

"The Savannah River Site covers over 310 square miles and spans three counties. PiLT funding goes to these counties to support schools, emergency services, and county operations that would have otherwise received taxes through development on that property."

Military and Industrial Base Readiness

"This year's NDAA improves military readiness and strengthens the defense industrial base to ensure our warfighters are ready to fight when called.

"I am grateful this language includes an increase in funding to develop and procure counter drone systems; accelerates the fielding of air defense capabilities at Air Force installations; and requires DoD to develop a plan to fully fund and continually restock the National Defense Stockpile during times of an extended national emergency. These requirements will continue to enhance our military readiness to ensure our military is prepared to confront any global threat."

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