U.S. Representative Mike Rogers (R-AL), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, delivered the following remarks on the House Floor in support of the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). FY24 NDAA resources can be found here.
Chairman Rogers' remarks as prepared for delivery:
I rise in strong support of H.R. 2670, the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act.
H.R. 2670 represents a truly bipartisan bill.
I want to thank Ranking Member Smith for his tremendous help in moving this bill through committee.
Congress has the Constitutional duty to provide for our common defense.
Every year, we fulfill that duty by passing the National Defense Authorization Act.
The FY24 NDAA provides our warfighters the resources and authorities they need to provide for the defense of our nation and the security of our allies around the world.
That's critical because the threats we face today are more complex and serious than at any point in the last 30 years.
Topping that list is an increasingly aggressive China.
Ranking Member Smith and I recently led a bipartisan delegation to Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines.
What was clear from our meetings was that the threat posed by Chinese Communist Party is real and represents the most pressing national security challenge we've faced in decades.
The FY24 NDAA was built with the underlying goal of deterring the Chinese Communist Party.
It provides new authorities and speeds the fielding of innovative new technologies like AI and hypersonics that will give us the advantage in a conflict with China.
It strengthens our security partnerships with Taiwan and Pacific allies.
It fully funds and expedites the modernization of our nuclear deterrent.
It builds a stronger and more capable missile defense.
It protects U.S. military bases, critical infrastructure, and academic research from Chinese encroachment and espionage.
It builds the logistics network in the Pacific the military needs to carry out operations against China.
And it includes new authorities to retool and revitalize the industrial base to ensure they can deliver the systems we need to prevail in any conflict.
Reorienting our defense to deter the threat from China will be an expensive endeavor.
But we acknowledge there are limits on what we can afford to spend.
That's why this NDAA is hyper focused on rooting out waste at the DoD.
If weapons systems are not responsive to the threats we face, we cut them.
In fact, the NDAA includes nearly $40 billion in savings from cutting systems that can't survive a conflict with China and by reigning in programs that have grown out of control.
We also require the DoD IG to review major defense programs for waste and we create a new Special Inspector General to oversee all aid to Ukraine.
In the face of growing threats from China, it's critical we restore the military's focus on lethality.
The FY24 NDAA does so by bringing to an end divisive policies implemented by this administration that have hurt recruiting, unit cohesion, and military readiness.
While I believe this will go a long way toward resolving the recruiting crisis we face, we also need to improve the quality of life for our servicemembers and their families.
The NDAA does that by providing for the largest pay raise in 30 years and authorizes a bonus for the junior enlisted.
It increases allowances for housing and basic needs to counteract growing costs for food and housing.
It authorizes $200 million more than the President requested to build new barracks and family housing.
The bill expands access and significantly reduces the cost of childcare for military families.
It makes it easier for military spouses to find jobs when servicemembers transfer stations.
Finally, it improves the quality of military healthcare, especially mental health services for servicemembers and their families.
This bill passed out of Committee 58 to 1.
It is the definition of a bipartisan bill.
It will enhance Congressional oversight of DoD.
It will improve the quality of life for our servicemembers and their families
And it will help build the ready, capable, and lethal fighting force we need to deter the Chinese Communist Party and our other adversaries.
