Media

Today, Congressman Jim Baird (IN-04) released the following statement regarding the passage of H.R. 5009, the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (NDAA):

“As a decorated Army combat veteran, I was proud to vote for this year’s National Defense Authorization Act, which represents a concerted effort to ensure our military has the resources it needs to keep our nation safe. While this bill is not perfect, service members' quality of life concerns are undermining recruitment, retention, and readiness when military recruitment is at an all-time low. This year’s bill rectifies these concerns by providing a 14.5 percent pay raise for junior enlisted members and a 4.5 percent pay raise for all other service members, addressing the chronic underfunding of military housing maintenance, improving service members’ access to timely medical care, and increasing access to childcare for Indiana’s military families. This year’s bill also delivers over $60 million for important military construction projects in Indiana. Most importantly, the NDAA also prioritizes strengthening our military capabilities and enhancing military readiness to combat foreign adversaries by deploying innovative new technologies and preventing the Biden Administration from reducing the number of U.S. Special Forces and divesting critical aircraft. The NDAA also puts a stop to woke Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and Critical Race Theory (CRT) policies that prioritize identity politics over military preparedness. This legislation is a win for our national defense, Indiana’s service members, and our military families. I was proud to see this legislation pass the U.S. House, and I hope it is signed into law soon.” 

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