Washington, D.C. – Congressman Darin LaHood (R-IL), a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today voted in support of the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which funds and supports our military and their families and included key conservative victories protecting our national security. The bill authorizes $858 billion for national defense, $45 billion above President Biden’s request – to ensure our military preparedness. It includes provisions that counter the increasing China threat, strengthen our nuclear deterrence, invest in our brave servicemembers, and address the impact of inflation on military families.
The NDAA also includes the Fiscal Year 2023 Intelligence Authorization Act, which authorizes funds to support our Intelligence Community, broaden Congressional oversight, counter hard targets, protect the U.S. from counterintelligence threats, and enhance the Intelligence Community’s recruitment and adoption of emerging technologies.
“The FY23 NDAA will make America safer, give our men and women in uniform the resources they need and deserve, and send a clear message to our adversaries around the globe,” said Rep. LaHood. “Republicans secured key victories in this year's NDAA, including ending the COVID-19 vaccine mandate on our Armed Forces, increasing funding to combat threats from China, Iran, and North Korea, and ensuring the National Guard has what it needs to secure our southern border. We face ever-evolving 21st-century threats and this bill makes certain that our military personnel are prepared with the resources, equipment, and support at home they need. It is a privilege to continue to support our brave men and women protecting and defending freedom and I was proud to support this bill.”
Background and Key Provision in FY23 NDAA:
- The FY23 NDAA ends the harmful DOD vaccine mandate for active duty, reserve, and national guard personnel, preserving our military’s readiness and ensuring our troops will not continue to be discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.
- Calls for fair treatment of servicemembers who have already been discharged for failure to comply with the vaccine mandate, including thorough consideration of requests for reinstatement and correction of military records.
- Addresses the border crisis by fully funding the account supporting the National Guard’s border deployment.
- Supports a 4.6% pay raise for servicemembers and expands eligibility for Basic Needs Allowance to low-income servicemembers supporting a family.
- Includes record investments in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and quantum computing.
- Authorizes $11 billion for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative to counter rising Chinese aggression.
- Establishes a National Hypersonic Initiative to accelerate the development of hypersonic missiles, better equipping the U.S. to compete against our adversaries.
- Funds the nuclear sea-launched cruise missile (SLCM-N) that President Biden tried to cancel and prohibits reduction in the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) or retirement of low-yield nuclear warheads.
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