Golden Amendment to Boost Defense Budget by $37 Billion Passed by Armed Services Committee

Statement

The House Armed Services Committee approved a bipartisan amendment to this year's National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) proposed by Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02). The legislation amends the NDAA to authorize a $37 billion increase in defense spending, including funding for the construction of a 3rd DDG-51 destroyer, $250 million in shipyard infrastructure, and funding to improve servicemember quality of life, among other investments.

"We need only look to world events in Ukraine, read reports regarding China's plans and actions in the South China Sea, or simply read the latest headlines about Iranian nuclear ambitions and North Korean missile tests, as well as ongoing terrorist threats, in order to see why this additional funding is necessary to meet the security challenges of our time," said Congressman Golden. "This amendment would authorize funding for one additional DDG-51 destroyer, make necessary investments in shipyard infrastructure, and provide further military aid for Ukraine, among many other critical provisions. We were able to pass this amendment today because of thoughtful negotiations that included the feedback of many members of this committee both Democrat and Republican."

The amendment was adopted on a strong bipartisan vote of 42-17. The House Armed Services Committee is expected to vote on the full NDAA in the early morning hours on Thursday.

In addition to $1.2 billion for DDG-51 construction and $250 million for shipyard infrastructure upgrades, Golden's amendment includes:

$1.4 billion in bonuses and other support to help servicemembers cope with rising prices;
$660 million for eight additional F/A-18s;
$550 million in assistance to Ukraine through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative bringing total security assistance in the bill to $1 billion;
$3.5 billion to cover military construction inflation costs, $2.5 billion to offset the costs of fuel prices;
$1.7 billion to improve servicemember quality of life improvements, such as facilities and building renovations.
Golden has been a strong advocate for American national security and a strong navy throughout his time in Congress. In 2021, Golden led efforts in the House to successfully push back against the Biden Administration's plan to cut DDG-51 shipbuilding by securing funding for two DDG-51 Destroyers.

A summary of the amendment is available here and the full text of the amendment is available here.

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