Annual Defense Bill Now Heads to the House Floor

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, today issued the following statement after the Committee approved H.R. 7900, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023, by a bipartisan vote of 57 to one.

“This year’s defense bill builds on the Committee’s six-decade-long tradition of investing in the people, programs, and technologies that strengthen our common defense. At a time when democracies around the world face enormous challenges and unprecedented threats, we have sent a powerful, bipartisan message to our allies and partners, global competitors, and the American people: democracy still works – and it can deliver real results.

“There is much to be proud of in this bill, and I am grateful to my colleagues across the Committee for their expertise, advocacy, and support as we have crafted this year’s NDAA. The bill supports the largest service member pay raise in decades, expands the talent pipeline, and partners with research institutions to accelerate the development of cutting-edge technologies that will support those in uniform. I am particularly proud that this year’s NDAA includes a package of bold reforms that will help mitigate and prevent civilian harm in the course of military operations.

“Meeting our country’s future defense challenges requires rigorous debates and tough choices about what the Department of Defense and U.S. military need. Faced with these challenges, this Committee has once again delivered a result that, for whatever our disagreements may be, ultimately does right by service members, civilians, and their families – the heart of our country’s defense. I thank Ranking Member Rogers for his partnership throughout this process and his many contributions to this bill and look forward to our bipartisan collaboration as the NDAA advances to the House floor.”