Pappas Secures New Hampshire Priorities in Defense Bill

This week, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) supported the final passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2023.

This year's NDAA includes several provisions Pappas fought for to invest in domestic manufacturing, increase community access to resiliency grants, support the Pease Air National Guard Base, improve FEMA’s response to natural disasters, and make clear Congress’s opposition to NATO allies violating the territorial air space of fellow NATO members.

“This week I voted to pass the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act, critical legislation which keeps Americans at home and abroad safe and secure," said Congressman Pappas. “With this bipartisan effort, this year's authorization includes investments to raise our troops' pay, strengthen our alliances, and increase our global competitiveness. It will also make important investments in domestic manufacturing that will further our national security, and support operations at the Pease Air National Guard Base. New Hampshire and our nation will be safer and stronger from these investments into our military, servicemembers, and veterans.”

The 2023 National Defense Authorization Act will authorize investments in the security of the American people, restore U.S. alliances and partnerships, and strengthen our global competitiveness by:

• Authorizing $847 billion for national defense across the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and other agencies,
• Increasing military basic pay by 4.6% for service members,
• Reauthorizing the Coast Guard for FY 2023,
• Supporting military personnel by taking action to combat sexual assault in the military, reduce the cost of housing, health care, and other essentials for military personnel and families, and expand access to mental health care,
• Improving defense industrial base resiliency and supporting small businesses by codifying and making permanent the Department of Defense Mentor Protégé Program, which partners large businesses with small businesses to help them navigate the defense acquisition system,
• Authorizing an additional $100 million to strengthen the domestic supply chain for critical elements of microelectronics production, in addition to a study and pilot program focused on semiconductors in the National Defense Stockpile and,
• Investing in clean water by requiring the Department of Defense to take additional actions to minimize the use of non-essential PFAS and PFOA, set goals for the timely clean-up of formerly used defense sites that fall under the military munitions response program, and requiring the Department to adhere to the strictest relevant standards when conducting environmental remediation of PFAS contamination,
• Securing $2 million in funding for the Air National Pease Air National Guard Base and Small Arms Range,
• Requiring FEMA to report to Congress on the preliminary damage assessment process and convene an advisory panel to assist FEMA in improving the PDA process, which is notoriously difficult to navigate,
• Strengthening FEMA's Small State and Rural Advocate, and
• Requiring the Department of Defense to seek cooperation with Middle East allies and partners to identify and develop an approach for such allies and partners to implement an integrated air and missile defense capability to protect against attacks from Iran and groups linked to Iran.