House passes FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The NDAA addresses the nation’s defense budget, Afghanistan accountability, additional defense priorities, as well as countering China and Russia.

“For 61 consecutive years, the House has proven that our collective commitment to U.S. national security can help us rise above partisanship,” House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) said. “Instead of focusing on what divides us, each year we choose to pass a defense bill that fulfills Congress’ constitutional obligation ‘to provide for the common defense’ – and we do so by focusing on what we have in common as Americans.”

Smith said the NDAA makes transformational policy changes directly benefiting service members and their families while offering reforms to the Uniform Code of Military Justice to address sexual assault in the nation’s military.

“The bill also builds on previous attempts to close the pay gap by funding a 2.7 percent pay increase for our service men and women in uniform and establishing a $15 minimum wage for covered service and construction contracts,” Smith said.

Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL), House Armed Services Committee lead Republican, said the FY22 NDAA ensures men and women in uniform have the funding needed for any conflict or battle the nation may face.

“Without a doubt, our military is the greatest force for good the world has ever seen,” Rogers said. “Providing the authorities and resources our troops need to defend our nation and defeat our adversaries is the greatest responsibility we have here in Congress. I thank my colleague, Chairman Adam Smith, for working with us to produce this bipartisan bill and I’m glad to see it’s passage with overwhelming bipartisan support.”