Congresswoman Tenney's Statement Following the House Passage of the National Defense Authorization Act

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22) today voted in support of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the fiscal year 2023 (FY23), which passed the House by a vote of 350-80. The bill includes two of Congresswoman Tenney’s amendments to hold America’s adversaries accountable and strengthen U.S. national security. Crucially, the bill delivered a 4.6% pay boost to servicemembers and a significant increase to the Department of Defense’s budget at a time of increasing global competition.

“The National Defense Authorization Act is key to America’s security—that is exactly why Congress has now passed it for the 62nd consecutive year. The bill passed reverses President Biden’s dangerous cuts to our military and advances many of our most important national security priorities by continuing to provide for a strong, robust military,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “The bill includes $45 billion more than was requested by President Biden. It stops his harmful cuts to the construction of battle force ships as well as his proposed reductions to the procurement of new combat vehicles, missiles, and much more.”

“The legislation also delivers for our servicemembers and their families. It provides our troops with a much-needed 4.6% pay raise and includes $500 million for additional housing allowance to counter record inflation under President Biden. The NDAA invests in the modernization of our nuclear arsenal, increases vital resources to counter China and other adversaries around the world, and strengthens oversight of all Department of Defends funds, including every dollar of U.S. assistance that has been provided to Ukraine. I am pleased Congress came together to pass this bipartisan bill and strengthen our national defense—both at home and abroad. It is time to restore a foreign policy that is guided by the principle of peace through strength, and stop catering to activist forces in our country who seek to inject wokeness into our military."

“I am especially pleased that the bill passed today contains two amendments that I authored, including one requiring a report on the U.N. arms embargo and its effectiveness in constraining Iran's ability to supply, sell, or transfer arms or related material. This would help hold the Iranian regime, which is the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, accountable for its malign actions in the region and across the world.”

Key Provisions of FY23 NDAA:

-Increases authorized spending levels by nearly 8% over FY22 levels. 

-Provides $858 billion for our national defense. This includes $45 billion more than requested by President Biden.

-Reverses President Biden’s reckless cuts to our national security by restoring funding for shipbuilding, procurement, and missile defense.

-Authorizes a 4.6% pay increase for servicemembers.

-Saves billions of dollars through reforms in DoD operations and through the decommissioning and divestment of older, less capable ships and aircraft.

-Includes a provision to require regular, comprehensive reviews and audits of all assistance provided to Ukraine.

-Provides an additional 2.4% pay bonus for enlisted personnel to counteract the impacts of inflation.

-Includes $500 million for additional housing allowances to counteract the rising cost of rent for military families. 

-Authorizes over $7 billion for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative to counter China. 

-Establishes a Servicemember Parents’ Bill of Rights to ensure parents of children who attend DoD schools can review the curriculum, instructional materials, and more. 

Background on Tenney’s Amendments Included in Bill:

-Requires a report on the U.N. arms embargo on its effectiveness in constraining Iran's ability to supply, sell, or transfer, directly or indirectly, arms or related material when the arms embargo was in place. Requires an assessment of the measures that DoD and DoS are taking, in the absence of a U.N. arms embargo on Iran, to constrain Iranian arms proliferation.

-Requires a report on Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-affiliated operatives abroad and the ways in which DoD, in coordination with DoS, is working with partner nations to inform them of the threat posed by Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-affiliated officials, who are operatives of a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).