Congressman Don Young Stands Up for Servicemembers: Helps House Pass FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act with Critical Alaska Provisions

Statement

Last night, with the support of Alaska Congressman Don Young, the House of Representatives passed S. 1605, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022 -- legislation to set the annual budget for the Department of Defense (DoD). This bill authorizes needed funding for military expenditures, provides a 2.7% military pay raise, and enhances America's global shared security commitments. This legislation also includes several Alaskan Community Project Funding requests that Congressman Young pushed for inclusion in the final bill.

After House passage of the NDAA, Congressman Young issued the following statement:

"Every year, Congress passes the NDAA to authorize national defense spending for domestic and overseas operations. This year's bill is an important one, and I am very proud of what my House colleagues accomplished on behalf of our military. This measure takes critical steps to strengthen our national defense, provide a well-deserved pay raise for the brave men and women serving in our Armed Forces, and equip our troops with the necessary resources to keep our country safe.

I will always be an unwavering advocate for our troops; they must have access to the equipment and training they need to do their jobs. Earlier this year, President Biden's botched withdrawal from Afghanistan shined a light on the importance of providing our troops with resources to help prevent devastating outcomes in the future. Congress must continue to be allies to those wearing the uniform, and that is what we did in this year's NDAA.

In Congress, relationships are crucial; this year, I successfully worked with my colleagues on the Armed Services Committee to include my Community Project Funding requests in the final bill. These requests, sometimes referred to as 'earmarks,' will help Alaska combat active-duty suicides, modernize our Permafrost Research Station near Fairbanks, and help fund an Alaska-developed Tactically Responsive Deployable Spaceport. I am also pleased that following my efforts and the advocacy of my colleagues, harmful anti-Second Amendment provisions were removed from the NDAA before passage. I would not have supported final passage of an NDAA that threatened the basic rights of men and women we trust to defend this great nation. Thankfully, we did not get to that point.

This is a good bill, and I am proud to see such broad bipartisan support for our nation's military. My commitment will always be to the men and women who risk their lives to keep us safe. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to do right by our troops and keep our country secure and prosperous."

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