Congressman Robert J. Wittman | Official US House headshots
Congressman Robert J. Wittman | Official US House headshots
Today, Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA), vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) and chairman of the Tactical Air and Land Forces (TAL) Subcommittee, voted in favor of advancing the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25). The bill includes significant investments in Virginia’s shipbuilding industry, submarine industrial base, and measures to support servicemembers and military families in the Commonwealth. It also features provisions to increase enlisted pay, support military spouse employment, and improve military housing.
“I’m proud to support this year’s National Defense Authorization Act, which makes strategic investments that will benefit Virginia’s active duty and veteran population and provide for our military families,” said Rep. Wittman. “Not only are we boosting America’s national security, but we are directly benefiting the Commonwealth. By building more ships, prioritizing ship repairs, and investing in more submarines, we are channeling critical funding to Virginia’s economy.”
Virginia is home to the Pentagon, Marine Corps Base Quantico, and the largest concentration of naval forces in the world. With 19% of Virginia’s economy coming from defense spending — the highest proportion of any state — the impacts of the NDAA will reverberate throughout the Commonwealth. Virginia is also a top state for active duty military personnel, with over 80,000 servicemembers in Hampton Roads.
The FY25 NDAA contains many provisions that will benefit Virginia, which Rep. Wittman advocated for:
**Regional Interests**
- Requiring the U.S Government Accountability Office to address U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) civilian recruitment and retention shortfalls when competing with the private sector.
- Requiring the DoD to assess and mitigate stormwater impacts from its installations.
- Ensuring the resilience of key military installations while conserving natural resources.
- Prohibiting the Secretary of the Army from purchasing foreign-sourced energetic materials until domestic manufacturers have reached production capacity.
- Stopping the Biden administration from retiring combat-relevant F-22 Block 20 aircraft and directing the Air Force to review options to use at least some of these aircraft as testbeds.
- Advancing a mobile micronuclear reactor program to provide resilient energy to the U.S. military.
**Shipbuilding and Repair Equities**
- Restoring a second Virginia-class submarine that was originally cut by the Biden administration.
- Increasing funding for future Ford-class aircraft carrier production to ensure a stable procurement schedule.
- Creating a pilot program to examine how unmanned and robotic technologies can be used for shipboard maintenance and inspection.
- Developing unmanned undersea vehicles that keep troops safe while enabling reconnaissance, mine laying, and mine detection missions.
**Military and Servicemember Priorities**
- Countering Overlooked Base Impact Aid (COBIA) Act: ensuring local educational agencies properly account for children eligible to receive impact aid.
- Revitalizing the Troops-to-Teachers program, which helps service members seeking careers in education.
**Countering China’s Growing Military Aggression**
- Ordering a DoD-wide effort to counter China's overseas basing efforts.
- Boosting public-private collaboration with allies to prevent adversaries from buying strategic assets.
- Preventing illicit Chinese vaporware from being sold on military bases.
- Expanding shared classified commercial infrastructure pilot programs within DoD.
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