National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024

Floor Speech

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Mr. BANKS. Mr. Chair, I thank the chairman for yielding and for his incredible leadership in doing everything he can to support our troops and to keep America safe and secure.

That is why I stand here, Mr. Chairman, before you today in strong support of this bipartisan defense bill that was voted out of committee less than 3 weeks ago.

This bill includes Member priorities focused on taking care of our servicemembers and their families to ensure that they are prepared to carry out, without distraction, any mission that they are called upon to execute.

The NDAA continues to support and improve the lives of those who sacrifice for our country on a daily basis by supporting a military basic pay raise of 5.2 percent, authorizing a budgetary change to reduce the 5 percent out-of-pocket housing costs for our servicemembers, and excluding the housing allowance from household income for the purposes of eligibility for the basic needs allowance.

This bill authorizes the establishment of the Space National Guard and sets a new personnel management benchmark with the creation of an innovative personnel management system for the Space Force.

The NDAA also formalizes policy that all military accessions, assignments, selections, or promotions must adhere to merit-based principles and that none may be based on favoritism, nepotism, or quotas, and definitely not politics.

Mr. Chairman, this is an outstanding bipartisan bill dedicated to our servicemembers, their families, and retirees, and gives them the tools and support they need and deserve and have earned to execute our Nation's security strategy.

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