National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024

Floor Speech

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Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate Chairman Rogers' leadership on this legislation.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in favor of the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act. This bill prioritizes our military, safeguards their rights, and puts forward a fighting force that will stand against those who threaten the United States of America.

As chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, I have had the distinct honor of working closely with my colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee on this year's NDAA. This bill fully funds modernization of our nuclear triad, establishes the nuclear sea- launched cruise missile as a program of record, prevents the Biden administration from attempting to retire any element of our nuclear arsenal, and prohibits them from sharing nuclear information with Russia until the Russians reciprocate.

Additionally, the bill removes outdated missile defense policy limitations and crucially requires and funds acceleration in our development of hypersonic capabilities.

Finally, it advances our organization in military space, including with the establishment of a space national guard.

My colleagues in the House will be pleased to know that this bill also takes significant steps to end wokeness in the military by banning critical race theory and ending DEI overreach. Our military is not a social experiment. It is a fighting force that should be empowered to prioritize those missions.

To this end, the bill includes a 5.2 percent pay raise for servicemembers, expands opportunities for military spouses, and expands access to childcare and schools for military families.

I also thank Representative Seth Moulton of Massachusetts for his bipartisan efforts as ranking member of the subcommittee.

Mr. Chairman, I encourage all of my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

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