Miss. Senator praises support for troop pay raise, shipbuilding, military modernization in bill.
On Thursday, U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, praised committee passage of the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (FY 23 NDAA).
Each year, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) authorizes funding levels and provides authorities for the U.S. military and other critical defense priorities, ensuring our troops have the training, equipment, and resources they need to carry out their missions. On June 16, 2022, the Senate Armed Services Committee voted in bipartisan fashion, 23-3, to advance the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 to the Senate floor.
The legislation, which Senator Wicker helped to write, defines and maps out defense investments and priorities for the years ahead.
The 62nd annual NDAA supports a total of $857.64 billion in fiscal year 2023 funding for national defense. Within this topline, the legislation authorizes $817.33 billion for the Department of Defense (DOD) and $29.5 billion for national security programs within the Department of Energy (DOE).
The bill allows up to $6 billion in general transfer authority for unforeseen higher-priority needs in accordance with normal reprogramming procedures.
Among other provisions, the Senate’s defense proposal contains several of Senator Wicker priorities, including language that would:
- Boost support for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, a defense program integral to deterring Chinese aggression;
- Support modernizing the nuclear triad and retain the sea-launched nuclear cruise missile (SLCM-N) program;
- Improve defense industrial base supply chain security and acquisition efforts;
- Deepen ties with allies by increasing security relationships with Taiwan and Baltic countries, and support additional funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative;
- Clarify the role of the Department of Defense is to promote military lethality, not advancing a social agenda.
“Today the Senate Armed Services Committee overwhelmingly passed a forceful proposal that will strengthen our national defense and support our military servicemembers,” Wicker said. “I am appreciative of Chairman Reed and Ranking Member Inhofe for shepherding this measure through committee.”
“As President Reagan once said, we can safeguard peace only with strength. This year’s NDAA, if enacted, would send a strong signal to nations like China and Russia that the U.S. is serious about our national defense during the most dangerous time since the Cold War. This bill would also help to retain our maritime superiority by boosting our fleet size and strength, while making key investments in emerging defense technologies,” Wicker continued.
You can read a full summary of this year’s NDAA below.
FY 2023 NDAA Summary by yallpolitics on Scribd
Anne Summerhays
