WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Jodey C. Arrington (TX-19) issued the following statement after passage of the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization (NDAA) Act.
The bill included a 3.2% increase in funding for the military; a 5.2% pay increase for servicemembers; and $40 billion in savings by eliminating wasteful and woke programs and underperforming military assets.
Rep. Arrington was able to fully fund Dyess Air Force Base and secure several key provisions in support of Dyess including a prohibition on retirements of B-1 bombers until B-21s are mission capable, which will ensure continuity for Dyess and uninterrupted, long-range air power for the US military.
Additionally, Rep. Arrington's "Mission Not Emissions Act" was included in the NDAA, which repeals the Biden Administration's Paris Climate related mandates for defense contractors.
Rep. Arrington said this of the legislation:
"The defense bill provides our troops with the resources they need to be safe and successful; saves billions of taxpayer dollars by cutting woke and wasteful spending; and refocuses America’s military from extreme ideology to enhanced lethality and readiness with an emphasis on deterring and defeating China.
"I am proud we were able to fully fund Dyess Air Force Base, B-1 weapon modernization, and several of my initiatives including a critical safeguard against B-1 retirements until the B-21 bombers are fully operational.
"I’m especially proud of our efforts to refocus the military away from woke indoctrination to war fighting by reversing Biden’s extreme climate policies at the Pentagon. The mission of the military should be to fight and win wars, not advance the Left’s environmental agenda at the expense of our soldier’s safety and our nation’s security.
“In an increasingly unstable and dangerous geopolitical environment, America must project strength - this legislation shows our unwavering commitment to our troops, good stewardship of taxpayer dollars, and the outright rejection of woke and un-American policies that have no place in our military. I will do everything in my power to ensure America's fighting force remains the best in the world and our nation remains safe, strong, and free."
The Abilene Military Affairs Committee (MAC) commented:
“We have always fought for Dyess Air Force Base, the airmen, and their families, and it always goes back to the funding and future of Dyess Air Force Base. Rep. Arrington has fought tirelessly for B-1 extensions until the B-21 arrives in good numbers at Dyess. Jodey has also fought for the LAM pylon allowing the B-1 to be more lethal than it is today and making them critical to the national defense strategy.”
Background:
The FY2024 NDA includes provisions to:
Secure the southern border by fully funding the National Guard's deployment to the border and cracking down on cartels trafficking Chinese-made fentanyl.
Improve military readiness by building submarines, destroyers, and surveillance planes to deter China and expand our presence in the Indo-Pacific.
Correct Biden's unconstitutional COVID vaccine mandate for troops.
Protects the unborn by prohibiting taxpayer funding for abortions.
Ensure military fuel providers are not owned or infiltrated by the CCP or other adversaries and reaffirms U.S. support of Taiwan.
Root out wokeness in the military by banning military teaching of Critical Race Theory, repealing the DoD's Chief DEI Officer, and banning drag shows on military bases.
Bolsters US support for our ally Israel.
Prohibits DoD funding from covering transgender surgeries or gender hormone treatments.
