Conference Report on H.R. National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024

Floor Speech

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Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2670) to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2024 for military activities of the Department of Defense and for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

(For conference report and statement, see proceedings of the House of December 6, 2023, at Book II, page H6213.) Parliamentary Inquiries
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Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. 2670 and that I may include tabular material on the same.

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Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Madam Speaker, before I yield to my friends and colleagues from the committee, I will respond to a charge that was made earlier that only five members refused to sign the conference report. There were 35 core conferees. Thirty core conferees did sign the conference report.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn), my friend and the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces.

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Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson), one of the most senior members of the Armed Services Committee and a real leader on national defense issues.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I congratulate Chairman Mike Rogers and Ranking Member Adam Smith for the diligent work for this bipartisan NDAA, which I support.

The axis of evil, war criminal Putin, the regime in Tehran, the Chinese Communist Party, dictators with rule of gun invading democracies with rule of law makes the passage of this bipartisan legislation more important than ever.

I am grateful to have provisions included such as authorization for operations for critical missions at Savannah River Site, including plutonium pit production and the Tritium Finishing Facility; the U.S.- Israel Future of Warfare Act, which provides for collaboration on defense and technology for border security; the Foreign Extortion Prevention Act, which is protecting American companies from demands for bribes by corrupt foreign officials. This is the most significant anticorruption law since the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, which promotes peace through strength.

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Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman), my friend and colleague and the chairman of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee.

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Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Madam Speaker, my friend from Florida (Mr. Gaetz), who is a member of the Armed Service Committee, knows very well there are hundreds of provisions in this bill that are good for our servicemembers, in addition to the 5.2 percent pay raise, which is the biggest in 20 years.

With regard to the individuals who had to leave the service because of COVID, this bill provides a pathway for them to get back into the service without a rank punishment.

There is much in this bill that he knows is good. To characterize it as only having the pay raise as the reason to vote for it is disappointing.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Gallagher), a real leader on the Armed Services Committee. He is the chairman of the Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation Subcommittee.

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Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Strong), an outstanding freshman who is on the Armed Services Committee.

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Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Madam Speaker, as I listen to this debate, I am reminded of how blessed we are with incredible staff on both the majority and minority side who have spent months preparing this piece of legislation. I think it is important for all of us to take a pause and thank them for all of the hard work they have done in preparing this bill, and, particularly, the overtime they have put in in the last few weeks.

Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gimenez), who is an outstanding freshman member of the House Armed Services Committee.

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Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

I want to close by reminding my colleagues who are considering voting against this conference report of what it actually does and what they would be on record opposing.

The fiscal year 2024 NDAA requires military promotions to be based on merit and performance, bans the teaching of critical race theory in our military, requires border wall materials to be turned over to our Southwest border States, cuts and caps the pay of Pentagon DEI bureaucracy, defends Israel with additional weapons transfers and military training, prohibits the closure of Guantanamo Bay and transfer of terrorists to U.S. prisons, bans the contracting with Chinese companies, protects our military bases, defense research, and supply chains from Chinese espionage, trains and equips Taiwan, provides a path back to service for those discharged over the COVID-19 vaccine, creates a new monthly pay bonus, improves housing and expands benefits for junior enlisted servicemembers and their families, and, finally, the NDAA provides for the largest pay raise in over 20 years.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to keep those things in mind when they vote today.

I thank Chairman Reed and Ranking Members Smith and Wicker. It has been great to work with them in this process. I also thank our House and Senate staff. They are just top-notch.

I thank the leadership on both sides, as well as the tremendous professionals of the Office of Legislative Counsel, the Congressional Budget Office, the House Parliamentarian, and the House Clerk for all their help.

Finally, I thank the brave men and women in uniform for their willing service and sacrifice around the world to keep us free and safe.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to vote in favor of the conference report, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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