WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28), a senior member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, issued the following statement after voting to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year (FY) 2025.

Dr. Cuellar supported the following provisions in the final text of the 2025 NDAA:

·         14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members (E-4 and below)

·         4.5% basic pay increase for all other service members

“Today, I voted to pass critical legislation that prioritizes American national security while providing historic funding for our troops and their families,” said Congressman Henry Cuellar, a senior member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. “I am pleased to have helped pass the 2025 NDAA that will support the needs of communities across the country including South Texas. Our service members continue to work in unprecedented situations, and this bill will ensure they receive proper and fair compensation for their time worked.”

The 2025 NDAA includes increases in pay for all military service members. These pay raises will improve the quality of life for service members across our nation and will be critical to the recruitment and retention of service members.

The NDAA also includes the following provisions on border security, housing, childcare, and education, among other provisions:

Border Security

·         Authorizes $90 million for construction of a new Joint Inter-Agency Task Force South (JIATF-S) Command and Control Facility to detect and interdict illegal migrants and narcotics

·         Authorizes $10 million in increased funding for counternarcotics activities

·         Expands Department of Defense’s authority in assisting law enforcement in interdiction of narcotics traffickers

Housing

·         Adds $177 million in military construction design funds to accelerate replacement of poor and failing unaccompanied housing and barracks

Childcare and Education

·         Authorizes over $176 million for new childcare centers

·         Fully funds childcare fee assistance programs to eliminate fee assistance wait lists for eligible families

·         Authorizes over $110 million to build new schools for children of service members

·         Extends Military Spouse Career Accelerator Pilot which provides employment support to military spouses through a paid fellowship with employers across various industries

·         Authorizes $50 million in Impact Aid assistance to public schools with military dependent students and an additional $20 million in assistance to local schools teaching children with disabilities

·         Expands eligibility for Department of Defense Child Development Programs for unemployed military spouses actively seeking employment

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is an annual law specifying the budget and expenditures for the U.S. Department of Defense.

The FY24 NDAA includes a discretionary topline budget of approximately $883.7 billion.

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