North Michigan News

House passed the FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Rep. Jack Bergman supported this legislation and helped usher through important priorities for Michigan's First District and our Nation's  Servicemembers.

Rep. Bergman issued the following release:

"The number one priority of Congress is to provide for the common defense of our Nation. This legislation was a critical part of that duty and I am grateful for the opportunity to work together with my colleagues to take critical steps towards combatting aggression from the CCP, give our servicemembers the largest pay raise in 20 years, and make progress on the PFAS remediation process at Wurtsmith. Now more than ever, we need a Military that is laser-focused on force readiness and I will continue fighting for the future of our Nation."

Additionally, the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act:

• Provides a 5.2% increase in servicemember basic pay, the largest pay raise in 20 years.
• Saves taxpayers $40 billion or 5% of current defense spending levels
• Includes provisions to help counter the impacts of inflation on low-income military families.
• Invests in research, development, and procurement of capabilities to deter adversaries.
• Accelerates the deployment of advanced radars to track high-altitude balloons and other Chinese threats to our homeland.
• Requires a report on PFAS contamination at the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base.
• Requires the Department of Defense to publicly post the cleanup status of environmental restoration activities.
• Includes provisions to strengthen healthcare, including increasing oversight of TRICARE pharmacy program, studies to expand mental health services, and authorizing license portability for mental health professionals.
• Includes provisions designed to stabilize the Defense Industrial Base including additional investments in shipyard infrastructure and recapitalization efforts.
• Provides assistance to the 8,000 servicemembers discharged for failing to take the COVID-19 vaccine and gives them a path back to service.
• Requires the Defense Secretary to assess and validate the need for every position in the DEI bureaucracy.
• Eliminates funding for drag shows, drag queen story hours, or similar events.
• Includes a Parents Bill of Rights to ensure parents of children in DoD schools have the right to review curriculum, books, and instructional materials.
• Penalizes DoD for cost overruns on major defense programs. 

Original source can be found here.