DC Debrief: NDAA Heads To Senate After House Passage

In this week's DC Debrief, Scott Mitchell and Alex Cameron discuss the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) as it moves from the House to the Senate.

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What will the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) do?

The NDAA is expected to pass the Senate and be signed into law, bringing a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% hike for others.

The bill also includes provisions to improve quality of life for military families, such as easier access to childcare, better housing, and support for military spouses' professional licenses.

The conversation also touches on the potential for a continuing resolution to extend current funding, allowing the incoming administration to put its stamp on the NDAA.

NDAA Heads to Senate After House Passage

Scott Mitchell: Congress is making their final moves before leaving for the holidays, including the National Defense Authorization Act. Let's start with the NDAA - it passed the House, but is it going to get through the Senate and head to the President?

Alex Cameron: Oh, yeah, I don't think there's any question about that. The progressive Democrats who opposed it in the House are in the minority, and a lot of Democrats also voted for it. It's going to pass the Senate, probably pretty overwhelmingly, and go to the President's desk.

"The theme of this year's NDAA is improving quality of life for service members," Cameron said.

Key Provisions and Benefits for Service Members

Alex Cameron: The headline item is a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted, and everyone else gets a 4.5% hike. There are also provisions to:

1. Make it easier for service members to find childcare
2. Improve housing
3. Help spouses of military members with professional licenses transfer between locations

Additionally, the NDAA includes support for the transition from the E-3 to the E-7 aircraft at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma.

Scott Mitchell: "The first quarter is just going to be a mess doing it this way, correct?"

Alex Cameron: "Absolutely. It is going to be a lot or pressure, a lot of work that they've got to get done and to be honest, they haven't always stepped up in the past, they're pretty good at kicking the can down the road, so will they have to do that again?

Funding and Continuing Resolution

Alex Cameron: "What we're hearing is the speaker wants to do a continuing resolution that extends current funding from 2024 into March. This would allow the incoming administration to put its stamp on the NDAA."

Scott Mitchell: "It will be an interesting January, and we'll be watching the NDAA and the continuing resolution closely."