Henrico Times

Congressman Rob Wittman of Virginia has praised the House's passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24). As vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Wittman voted in favor of the bill, which authorizes funding for the U.S. Department of Defense for the next fiscal year. Wittman emphasized the importance of addressing national security threats in his statement, saying, "With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Iran's proxy conflict with Israel, North Korea's long-range ballistic missile development, and China's belligerence in the South China Sea, an axis of evil is rising again."

The FY24 NDAA is known for being one of Congress' most bipartisan bills and has been passed and signed into law for the past six decades. This year's NDAA contains several provisions that will benefit Virginia, thanks to Wittman's advocacy. These include the establishment of the Marine Corps Heritage Center and National Museum of the Marine Corps and the allocation of $555 million in military construction funding at installations across the Commonwealth.

The bill also rejects the Biden administration's proposal to reduce the size of the Navy and instead saves four ships from early retirement, including the USS Tortuga in Norfolk. It further supports shipbuilding efforts by providing $1 billion for a new San Antonio-class amphibious ship and requires the Navy to deliver a plan to maintain ships through their expected service life. Additionally, the FY24 NDAA establishes a grant program to expand private shipyard construction capacity and unlocks $3 billion in Australian investment in the U.S. submarine industrial base through the AUKUS security pact.

In terms of military and servicemember priorities, the bill prevents the early retirement of F-22s at Joint Base Langley-Eustis and supports a 5.2% increase in servicemember basic pay, the largest pay raise in over 20 years. It also authorizes license portability for mental health professionals who provide non-medical counseling services, increasing their capacity to support servicemembers around the country.

The FY24 NDAA also addresses border security concerns by fully funding the deployment of National Guard troops in support of border patrol activities at the Southwest Border. It requires an interagency strategy to target, disrupt, and degrade threats to national security caused by fentanyl trafficking. Additionally, the bill enhances support for counterdrug and counter transnational organized crime activities by adding planning services to the types of support that the DoD can provide law enforcement.

Furthermore, the NDAA includes oversight measures for Ukraine. It creates a Special Inspector General to oversee all U.S. security assistance to Ukraine and thoroughly investigate any instances of waste, fraud, abuse, corruption, or diversion of weapons. This aligns with Congressman Wittman's bill, "The Independent and Objective Oversight of Ukrainian Assistance Act." The Special Inspector General is granted direct hire authority to rapidly expand the number of auditors reviewing Ukraine security assistance, and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) is required to assess the DoD's end-use monitoring programs and provide recommendations to Congress on ways to strengthen them.

The passage of the FY24 NDAA marks a significant step in addressing national security threats and ensuring the well-being of servicemembers. Congressman Wittman's advocacy for Virginia has secured major wins for the state, including funding for military construction, shipbuilding efforts, and support for servicemembers. With these provisions in place, Virginia is positioned to continue playing a crucial role in national defense and security.

Click this link to access more information: https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5458