The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed its version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by a 328-101 vote.
As the lower chamber’s bill differs from the U.S. Senate’s version, the package now heads to conference where representatives from both bodies will work to hash out differences.
Alabama’s congressional delegation voted 5-2 for the measure, with the only two members voting against the annual defense appropriations package being U.S. Reps. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) and Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville).
U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Saks), the lead Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, praised the NDAA’s bipartisan support but expressed his desire for the bill to be enhanced in conference.
“I am glad to see the FY23 NDAA pass the House with overwhelming bipartisan support,” stated Rogers. “However, our work is not done – we will continue to improve upon this bill in conference to ensure that this legislation gives our warfighters what they need.”
“Every year, Congress is tasked with ensuring that our servicemembers have the authorities and resources they need to defend our nation and defeat our adversaries,” he added. “The FY23 NDAA accomplishes this task by supporting our servicemembers and their families and by making needed investments to ensure our warfighters are equipped to succeed and win on battlefields of the future.”
While describing the bill as not being “perfect,” U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) advised that he voted for the bill’s passage in hopes that it could be improved in conference.
“Today I voted in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act to authorize increased defense spending that will help counter our nation’s adversaries and support our nation’s and is a step in the right direction towards closing the security gap and helping America return to a leadership position on the world stage,” said Aderholt.
“While this bill is not by any means perfect, I do support advancing it to conference where we can fight to remove provisions that are irrelevant to bolstering our national security,” he noted. “The NDAA is a defense authorization bill; it is supposed to prioritize our national security and promote America as a leader on the world stage. Attempts from the left to turn the bill into a social program vessel prevents many defense advocates from voting in favor of it. It looks like it is going to take Republicans flipping the House majority to get good, clean defense authorizing bills that work exclusively to provide for our national security.”
U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Birmingham), the Alabama congressional delegation’s lone Democrat, praised the fact that the NDAA included a 4.6% pay increase for service members.
“I take seriously my responsibility to ensure that our brave service members have the resources they need to keep our nation safe,” proclaimed Sewell. “That’s why I was proud to cast my vote for the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act. I’m particularly proud that this year’s NDAA delivers hard-earned pay raises to Alabama servicemembers and includes initiatives to support cutting-edge research at HBCUs.”
“I was thrilled to secure $15 million for improvements to Maxwell Air Force Base and $6.8 million to construct a training facility for F-35 fighter planes at the Montgomery Regional Airport Base,” she continued. “This funding will continue to stimulate economic development in the region and help strengthen Alabama’s essential role in providing for our national defense.”
U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl (R-Mobile) celebrated the inclusion of funding provisions for South Alabama’s Austal USA to construct new ships for the U.S. Navy.
I’m thrilled the House has passed the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act. This bipartisan bill pushes back on President Biden’s cuts to our defense spending, gives our troops a much-needed pay raise, and includes important Navy ships to be built by @Austal_USA!
— Rep. Jerry Carl (@RepJerryCarl) July 14, 2022
In a statement detailing his opposition to the NDAA, Moore indicated that the bill “cripples our military readiness.”
“I take no joy in voting against legislation authorizing our military programs, but I cannot in good conscience vote for a bill that cripples our military readiness and deliberately rejects actions to halt the increasingly unconcealed subjection of our military men and women to woke social experiments, reeducation, and an experimental vaccine” Moore’s statement began.
According to Moore, the NDAA’s funding of President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for military personnel “further fails our servicemembers.”
“Our military’s role is to protect our Constitutional rights and the American way of life from our enemies at home and abroad, and any bill that undermines those foundational pillars not only harms our national defense but dilutes what makes our nation so worthy of defending,” he lamented. “No amount of money authorized to spend on bases or weapons programs could compensate for such dangerous policy missteps that destabilize our nation. I promised the people of my district I would not vote to fund vaccine mandates, and it is disappointing this bill not only funds the vaccine mandate but further fails our servicemembers by leaving out provisions to restore the full rank and pay of those discharged for refusing the vaccine.”
“With our geopolitical opponents emboldened by Biden’s haplessness on the world stage and the continued weakening of our military by leaders who prioritize the appeasement of misguided and malicious social justice warriors, we cannot stomach poisonous policies that ultimately leave us less prepared to defend America,” added Moore. “Congress must remember that the government should serve the people, not the other way around, and the purge of patriots from our military triggered by Biden’s woefully unscientific and unjustified vaccine mandate must be fought with all we have.”
“It is with sadness for the future of our military and our country that I oppose this legislation, but I see no other choice. It is my hope I can support this bill when it comes up for a vote again after conferring with the Senate,” concluded the congressman.
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
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