The U.S. House of Representatives has passed its version of the National Defense Authorization Act. The annual legislation sets priorities for American military spending.
U.S. Congressman Dusty Johnson of South Dakota voted yes on the bill. He’s calling for more efficiencies in spending in conjunction with big investments in military technology.
Johnson cites an approved pay raise for military personnel as essential to troop welfare.
"We also want to make sure that our soldiers are well compensated," Johnson said. "Particularly in the enlisted ranks, you can see a lot of stories of people at the lower levels who are needing to rely on assistance programs for their families to get by. That’s not a story any of us should feel good about. We were able to secure a 4.5% raise for our men and women in uniform. That’s pretty important.”
This year’s $839 billion National Defense Authorization Act is a $37 million increase over the Biden administration’s request. The U.S. Senate has not yet voted on its defense bill.
