U.S. Representative Peter Meijer (R-MI) today voted in favor of H.R. 7900, the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed the House by a vote of 329 - 101 and contains several Meijer-led amendments, including a measure that would repeal the 1957 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF).
“This year’s NDAA provides our military with the resources necessary to defend our nation and counter aggression from our adversaries, including China and Russia,” said Rep. Meijer. “I am grateful that my Democratic colleagues worked in a bipartisan manner to get this bill done, despite the Biden Administration’s reckless attempts to cut to our national security resources. Included in this bill is a much-deserved pay increase for servicemembers as well as several of my amendments, including measures to restore Congress’s authority over matters of war and peace. I was proud to support its passage.”
The Fiscal Year 2023 NDAA:
- Includes a 4.6% pay raise for servicemembers and an additional 2.4% pay bonus for enlisted personnel
- Authorizes $16.5 billion for military construction and family housing, reversing President Biden’s proposed cuts
- Authorizes $500 million in additional housing allowances and $750 million to reduce food and other item costs at commissaries
- Establishes a Servicemember Parents Bill of Rights to secure the rights of parents in their children’s education at Defense Department Schools
- Establishes that lethality is the centerpiece of American national defense strategy and makes clear that any activities that do not increase lethality are a distraction from the Defense Department’s mission
- Authorizes 13 new ships and $250 million to expand and modernize our shipyards
- Funds the nuclear sea launched cruise missile (SLCM-N) that President Biden proposed to cancel and prohibits any reduction in the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM)
- Establishes a National Hypersonic Initiative to accelerate development of hypersonic missiles
- Authorizes over $7 billion for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative to counter China
- Requires comprehensive reviews of assistance provided to Ukraine by the Defense Department Inspector General
- Creates new incentives for servicemembers to report waste, fraud, and abuse, resulting in cost savings
- Saves more than $11 billion through decommissioning and divestments of older, less capable ships and aircraft and other reforms to Defense Department operations
- Includes a number of provisions strengthening the U.S.-Taiwan relationship and reaffirming U.S. support to the defense of Taiwan
- Extends the prohibition of dishonorable discharge for servicemembers who refuse a COVID-19 vaccination
- Prohibits the implementation of the COVID vaccine mandate on Defense Department contractors until Congress receives a report on its impact on procurement timelines and readiness
- Fully funds the National Guard’s operation and maintenance account to support a border deployment and clearly states that the border crisis is a national security issue
- Repeal of 1957 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF)
- Repeal of 1991 AUMF against Iraq
- Sense of Congress stating that all AUMFs should include a sunset provision
- Require oversight of U.S. assistance to Ukraine through a report from the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency
- Stop Russian GOLD Act, which closes a loophole that allows Russia to use its gold reserves to circumvent sanctions
- Empowering the U.S. Fire Administration Act, which authorizes the U.S. Fire Administration to conduct on-site investigations of major fires in coordination with appropriate federal, state, and local authorities
- Cost of War Act, which directs the Defense Department to publicly post information relating to the cost to U.S. taxpayers of any overseas contingency operation conducted by the U.S. military on or after September 18, 2001
- Authorize assets forfeited by Putin-connected cronies to be used to help rebuild Ukraine
- Prohibit the President, Vice President, and Cabinet Members from contracting with the federal government
- Provide mental health evaluations for all U.S. servicemembers who served at the Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA) in Kabul, Afghanistan during the U.S. withdrawal from August 15 – August 29, 2021
Original source can be found here.
