The HASC's draft version of the fiscal year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) does not include the flurry of culture war amendments that it did last year.
The bill is officially called the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act because it includes measures recommended by a special House commission to improve conditions for U.S. troops.
Those measures include a 19.5 percent pay raise for junior enlisted personnel.
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), who co-led the special commission, said the 2025 NDAA shows the HASC "remains one of the last true bastions of bipartisan policymaking in the United States government."
Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), HASC chair, also hailed the NDAA.
"The most important investment we can make is in the foundation of our military: our people," he said in a statement after it passed. "No servicemember should have to worry about making ends meet, putting food on the table, or having safe housing."
On the other side of the aisle, Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), HASC ranking member, lauded the bill's inclusion of a 4.5 percent pay raise for all servicemembers and $1.15 billion to improve military housing.
"This year’s defense bill prioritizes the heart of America’s national defense by investing in people," he said in a statement.
Still, the NDAA has included some controversial amendments, including a mandate to force the Pentagon to come up with a robust plan to rehire servicemembers fired for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) also got through an amendment that requires the U.S. to assess the impact of publicizing information earlier this year about Russia preparing to potentially deploy a nuclear space weapon.
The NDAA will next have to be voted on in the full House. Then, lawmakers must reconcile differences during an NDAA conference with the Senate.
Read the full report at TheHill.com.
