Pappas Votes for Military Pay Raise and Key National Defense Priorities 

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) voted to pass the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024. The legislation, passed on a bipartisan basis, authorizes key national defense priorities and provides for a 5.2% pay raise for U.S. service members, bolsters national security, and strengthens U.S. supply chains by investing in domestic manufacturing.

"At a time when America faces many challenges across the globe, passing the National Defense Authorization Act is essential to ensuring the safety and security of the American people and standing firm with our allies abroad," said Congressman Pappas. "This authorization includes the pay raise our troops deserve, will strengthen America's national security, and invest in key New Hampshire priorities, including addressing PFAS contamination and bolstering the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. I urge President Biden to sign this legislation into law at once, and I remain committed to making the safety and security of Americans my top priority in Congress."

The 2024 National Defense Authorization Act includes several provisions Pappas fought for, including:

• A Pappas provision establishes a pilot program to research and use anti-mold sensors at military housing facilities that detect the conditions for potential mold growth before mold is present, which will ensure military readiness, protect servicemembers, and save taxpayer dollars.
• Authorizing an additional $544 million to support the Multi-Mission Dry Dock Expansion at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. 
• Authorizing basic allowance for housing (BAH) payments for enlisted service members who are assigned to vessels stationed at shipyards. 
• Requiring a Department of Defense strategy to address threats to U.S. national security caused or exacerbated by fentanyl trafficking. 
• Requiring the implementation of SkillBridge programs, establishing minimum staffing levels for SkillBridge administration, and mandating the development of an annual funding plan to ensure the continued viability of SkillBridge. 
• Expanding parental leave for certain members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces. 
• Requiring a pilot program to assess the effectiveness of increasing compensation for employees of Department of Defense Child Development Centers in improving the ability to recruit and retain providers. 
• Authorizing the procurement of up to 13 Virginia-class submarines, which are maintained at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
• Allowing Secretaries of military departments to exclude the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) from the Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) calculation, which keeps more money in the pockets of service members and their families.
• Authorizing over $300 million in military construction for new child care development centers on top of $60 million to help speed up future child development center replacements.
• Improving the execution of the Procurement Technical Assistance Program, also known as the APEX Accelerators program. 
• Supporting Department efforts to strengthen domestic production of strategic and critical materials.