Cedar Rapids Today

Washington, DC - Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (IA-02) released a statement following the House passage of the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

“This year's NDAA makes crucial investments in our military to ensure we can deter our top adversaries like Communist China to keep America safe and bolster our national security. It ensures our troops are training to take down our enemies rather than being forced to sit in DEI trainings - our adversaries aren't going to ask for our pronouns. It also improves quality of life for our service members and their families, and includes a significant and well-deserved pay raise for our troops. I will continue working to ensure America's military is the best fighting force in the world and that our service members are treated with respect," stated Congresswoman Ashley Hinson.

The FY25 NDAA includes several measures aimed at improving service member quality of life:

Boosting Compensation: The FY25 NDAA gives junior enlisted service members a 19.5% pay raise, expands allowances for housing and food, and improves the cost of living calculation.

Improving Housing: The FY25 NDAA boosts funding for housing maintenance accounts, strengthens oversight of military housing programs, and pursues public-private partnerships to upgrade unaccompanied housing.

Ensuring Access to Medical Care: The FY25 NDAA reduces healthcare wait times by expanding access to medical providers, especially mental health providers, and increases oversight of healthcare accessibility for service members.

Enhancing Support for Military Spouses: The FY25 NDAA makes it easier for spouses to transfer professional licenses across states and expands DoD programs that provide employment support to military spouses.

Increasing Access to Childcare: The FY25 NDAA improves access to childcare for military families by mitigating childcare staffing shortages at DoD facilities and fully funding childcare fee assistance programs.

The act also focuses on restoring American deterrence:

Deterring Communist China:

- Prevents Communist China’s espionage in the U.S. military, supply chain, and research institutions.

- Reforms DoD acquisitions to expedite fielding innovative technologies needed to deter China's aggression.

- Bolsters Taiwan’s defense, supports Indo-Pacific allies, and increases funding for U.S. defense initiatives in the region.

Restoring Lethality:

- Requires promotions based on merit.

- Ends affirmative action at service academies.

- Abolishes DEI bureaucracy at DoD schools.

- Prevents a military Green New Deal.

Defending Israel:

- Expands U.S.-Israel military exercises.

- Fully funds cooperative missile defense programs.

- Increases funding for R&D of emerging technology and anti-tunneling programs with Israel.

Securing America’s Border:

- Fully funds deployment of National Guard troops at the southwest border.

- Expands authorities and increases funding for DoD counternarcotic activities.

Oversight & Accountability:

- Saves $30 billion by cutting inefficient programs, obsolete weapons, and Pentagon bureaucracy.

- Cuts $4.3 billion from contractor waste by eliminating non-compliant programs.