July 14, 2023

Reschenthaler Applauds House Passage of the National Defense Authorization Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Chief Deputy Whip Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA) released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 2670, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024.
 
“Under the Biden Administration, Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, the Taliban recaptured Afghanistan, and Chinese aggression in the South China Sea increases. These foreign adversaries watch our every move,” said Reschenthaler. “This year’s House Republican NDAA sends a strong message to those who oppose the United States: Our nation's armed forces are focused on lethality and deterrence, not distracted with woke social justice fantasies. As a Navy veteran, I am proud to support this legislation that properly invests in the safety and security of our nation.”
 
The NDAA is annual legislation that determines the policies and funding levels for the Department of Defense (DoD) and other national security entities. Specifically, the legislation:
 
  • Continues strong congressional support for our servicemembers and their families, including a 5.2 percent pay raise for servicemembers and 30 percent raise for junior enlisted servicemembers.
  • Defunds wokeness in the military.
  • Includes provisions to counter Communist China's aggression.
  • Provides assistance to the 8,000 servicemembers discharged for failing to take the COVID-19 vaccine and gives them a path to return to service.
  • Strengthens strategic deterrence, missile defense, and hypersonic capabilities.
  • Improves military and industrial base readiness.
  • Includes billions of dollars in budget savings, reforms, and audits.
  • Increases oversight and demands accountability from the Biden Administration.
 
Reschenthaler included significant initiatives in the bill, including the following amendments:
 
  • Encouraging DoD to continue utilizing the Army Artificial Intelligence Integration Center to accelerate the employment of cutting-edge capabilities.
  • Supporting the research of lightweight advanced carbon materials from coal and domestic onshoring of rare earth magnets.
  • Establishing a DoD task force on mental health and language urging DoD to monitor and combat suicides among former members of the Guard and Reserve Components who were not activated for military service.
  • Prohibiting DoD from closing the Mario Lemieux Foundation’s Austin’s Playrooms at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune, and Naval Medical Center San Diego.
  • Requiring DoD to submit to Congress a report on whether any products sold at commissary or exchange stores were produced by companies that have participated in a boycott action against the State of Israel.
 
Read the full legislation here.