President Joe Biden signed the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023 (H.R. 7776) into law Friday
The NDAA, which was co-authored by U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, authorizes a total of $857.9 billion for the Department of Defense (DOD) and national security programs of the Department of Energy. This bipartisan legislation garnered support from 83 U.S. Senators and 350 members of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The NDAA is integral to America’s national defense and helps shape the military’s future. A detailed summary of the bill is available here.
The legislation offers a comprehensive blueprint to equip, supply, and train U.S. forces; provide for military families; and strengthen oversight of the Pentagon and military programs. It also bolsters support for Ukraine and Taiwan.
This year’s NDAA delivers a 4.6 percent pay raise for U.S. troops and civilian defense workers. And it means submarine research, design, and production in Rhode Island continues full speed ahead. The bill includes $14.7 billion for submarines, which will help modernize the Navy’s submarine fleet and fuel a hiring boom for Rhode Island workers in good-paying manufacturing jobs. Reed also helped include $104.1 million for Navy applied research on undersea warfare technologies, led by the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC).
Today, Chairman Reed stated: “We came together on a bipartisan basis to safeguard our nation and support the men and women of the U.S. military. They certainly deserve a pay raise and this bill delivers it, along with the best equipment, training, and support possible.
“This NDAA goes a long way toward deterring aggression, preventing and reducing threats and conflicts, and ensuring our nation continues to peacefully prosper. It will help the U.S. out-compete China; deter Russian aggression; confront climate change; control the spread of nuclear weapons; and strengthen U.S. supply chains and our cyber defenses. We’ve also seen how NDAA investments can lead to promising scientific breakthroughs with clean energy.
“The NDAA continues strong investments in Rhode Island’s vital submarine production and research programs. It means thousands of jobs for the Ocean State and more investment and opportunity for Rhode Islanders. It will also help strengthen our workforce training pipeline and help people build the skills they need for good-paying jobs and career paths.
“This bill strengthens America’s network of beneficial partnerships with key allies to defend U.S. interests and values across the globe. It ensures our military is well-equipped and well-prepared to meet our security needs, now and in the future.”
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