WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01), Vice Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee and Ranking Member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee voted in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22).
The FY22 NDAA authorizes funding for the United States Department of Defense for the next fiscal year and serves as the primary vehicle through which defense legislation is passed. The NDAA is historically one of Congress’ most bipartisan bills as it has been passed and signed into law every year for the past six decades. Following his vote to pass the FY22 NDAA Congressman Wittman stated:
“For six decades, the National Defense Authorization Act has served as proof that Congress can still work across the aisle for the greater good of our nation. This year’s passage is no different. This bill does right by our military and the American people. It fully funds our defense needs for the coming year, provides needed pay raises to our troops, funds additional ships for the Navy, and ensures our warfighters have the funding and assets needed to succeed on the battlefield. Though we may not agree on the details of every provision, we recognize the importance of this bill and the need to provide for our servicemembers and their families, the United States’ military, and our national security.
“Through a Republican led effort, the FY22 NDAA boosts the defense topline by $25 billion, ensuring growth of 5%. It reverses reckless cuts to our national security, restores funding for shipbuilding, procurement, and missile defense. Through this additional funding, we are making the strategic investments necessary to secure peace through deterrence, meet the requirements outlined in our National Defense Strategy, and retain the United States’ global primacy.
“As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, I worked hard with my colleagues to halt President Biden’s dangerous cuts to shipbuilding by providing funding for 13 new battle force ships and prohibiting the decommissioning of 2 cruisers. This decision puts the Navy back on track to building a 355-ship Navy necessary to counter China’s expansionist ambitions at sea.
“Passage of this year’s NDAA is not only critical for our national security, but also to the Commonwealth of Virginia. This additional funding will fuel economic growth and create jobs for hardworking Virginians. With many of these ships built, maintained, and repaired in Virginia, the Commonwealth’s economy especially stands to benefit from the passage of the FY22 NDAA.
“Additionally, I’m proud that I was able to work with my Republican colleagues to strip a misinformed “red-flag” provision that would have infringed on second-amendment rights, rejected attempts to paint servicemembers as extremists, and removed the most excessive, far-left social provisions from the final product.
“Today marks a tremendous victory for the United States military, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the United States of America. I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for putting aside their differences, recognizing the importance of this legislation, and voting in favor of United States’ strength and security.”
The FY22 NDAA includes legislation previously introduced by Congressman Wittman:
- H.R.4987, The Global Force Management Oversight Act: Requires an annual report on the Global Force Management Allocation Plan (GFMAP) and briefing on major changes to the GFMAP throughout the year. This will provide Congress the ability to make sure our tax-payer dollars are reflecting the prioritizations of the National Defense Strategy.
- H.R. 5147, Prohibiting the Secretary of Defense from procuring personal protective equipment from certain non-allied foreign nations, and for other purposes: Prevents PPE purchases from China, Russia, Iran and North Korea.
- H.R.2609, The Naval Readiness Act: Provides oversight over U.S. Navy vessels by making permanent the requirement for an annual report on the material condition of Navy ships, expanding this report to make it more meaningful for both the taxpayer and Congress alike.
- H.R. 5262, Enhancing Military Base Resilience and Conserving Ecosystems through Stormwater Management Act: Authorizes the Department of Defense and each military department to implement stormwater management projects on or related to military installations.
- Establishes a commission on the United States’ involvement in Afghanistan: includes provisions and language from multiple pieces of legislation including the legislation introduced by Congressman Wittman and Congresswoman Stefanik.
The FY22 NDAA includes a Republican amendment boosting the defense topline by $25 billion, ensuring growth of 5 percent:
- Reverses President Biden’s reckless cuts to our national security, restoring funding for shipbuilding, procurement, and missile defense.
- Funds over $15 billion in Service Chief and Combatant Commander priorities left unfunded by the Biden Budget.
The FY22 NDAA supports servicemembers and their families through multiple provisions including:
- Authorizes a 2.7% pay increase for servicemembers.
- Provides nearly $1.5 billion to improve servicemember family housing.
- Requires the DoD to conduct a thorough and independent review of suicide prevention and response programs at various military installations.
- Increases parental leave, expands the in-home childcare pilot program, and improves support available to military families with special needs children.
The FY22 NDAA contains many additional Seapower and Projection Forces provisions and Virginia priorities, including:
- Halts President Biden’s dangerous cuts to shipbuilding by providing funding for 13 new battle force ships and prohibiting the decommissioning of 2 cruisers.
- Increases shipbuilding by 20% from FY21.
- Puts $1.287 billion for CVN-81 procurement and $2.502 billion for CVN refueling and complex overhauls, and $1.06 billion of other carrier shipbuilding
- A total of $4.78 billion in Aircraft work that is done right in Virginia.
- Supports $11.33 billion for submarine construction—much of this work will be done in the Virginia yards.
- Puts the Navy back on track to building a 355-ship Navy.
- Includes over $800 million to support expansion and modernization of the shipyard and submarine industrial base.
- Supports full funding of the nuclear modernization associated with Columbia class ballistic missile submarine and the B-21 Raider bomber programs.
The FY22 NDAA Stays tough on China and Russia with provisions including, but not limited to:
- Strongly supports Taiwan and provides a comprehensive report on status of efforts to build Taiwan’s capacity to defend itself against Chinese aggression.
- Directs a comparative analysis of U.S. and Chinese efforts to incorporate critical modernization technologies into warfighter applications to help refine U.S. research and development and acquisition efforts.
- Reauthorizes Pacific Deterrence Initiative and funds hundreds of millions of dollars of INDOPACOM commander’s priorities.
- Increases Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative to $300 million, including $75 million for lethal aid that will send Putin a strong signal as he amasses forces on the border of Ukraine with the likely intent of invasion.
- Maintains limitations on military-to-military cooperation with Russia.
