FY25 NDAA Resources

December 24, 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement after President Joe Biden signed H.R. 5009, the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25 NDAA), into law. 

“President Biden’s signing of the FY25 NDAA into law ensures our investment in the heart of our national defense—service members, civilian workers, and their families; science and technology; modernization; and a commitment to allies and partners.

“I want to thank President Biden and his administration, Chairman Rogers, Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Wicker, and all those who worked hard on this legislation to ensure that we in Congress are able to fulfill our duty to help provide for the common defense. While this legislation contains provisions I strongly oppose, there is also a lot of strong bipartisan work in the bill to be proud of and that will improve the quality of life of service members and their families.”

The text of the FY25 NDAA be found here.

A summary of the FY25 NDAA compiled by HASC minority staff can be found here.

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December 22, 2024

WASHINGTON D.C. -- Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement after the House passed the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (FY25 NDAA) by a vote of 281 to 140.

“For over 60 consecutive years, the NDAA has served as the foundation for our national security priorities, fulfilling Congress’ sacred obligation to provide for the common defense and underscoring our commitment to the people who bravely serve our country and their families.

“There is much to celebrate in this bill thanks to the bipartisan commitment that defined the time-honored process. That includes a 14.5 percent pay raise for junior enlisted service members and 4.5 percent pay raise for all other service members and improvements in quality of life issues such as housing, health care, childcare, and spousal support for service members and military families. We were also successful in blocking many harmful provisions that attacked DEI programs, the LGBTQ community, and women’s access to reproductive health care.

“However, the corrosive effect of Speaker Johnson’s insistence on including a harmful provision puts the lives of thousands of children at risk by denying them health care and may force thousands of service members to choose between continuing their military service or leaving to ensure their child can get the health care they need. This will be felt for generations to come.

“While I ultimately could not vote for the final bill due to the provision pushed by the Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Mike Rogers, Chairman Jack Reed, Ranking Member Roger Wicker, the Members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, and the staff for their work on this year’s bill.”

December 10, 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement regarding today’s passage of the rule for the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (FY25 NDAA). 

“As I said a few days ago, blanketly denying health care to people who need it—just because of a biased notion against transgender people—is wrong. The inclusion of this harmful provision puts the lives of children at risk and may force thousands of service members to make the choice of continuing their military service or leaving to ensure their child can get the health care they need. For that reason, I will oppose final passage of the FY25 NDAA in its current form. 

“Speaker Johnson had a clear path to considering a bill that reflected the true spirit of bipartisan compromise that has ensured that Congress has provided for the common defense for the past 63 years. Rather than take that path and ensure service members and military families get the support they need and deserve, he chose to pander to the most extreme elements of his party in an attempt to retain his speakership. 

“Speaker Johnson would rather secure his own future than easily pass a bill on suspension that invests in the greatest sources of America’s strength: service members and their families, science and technology, modernization, and a commitment to allies and partners.  

“Let me be clear; I am proud of the bipartisan work done to secure a 14.5 percent pay raise for junior enlisted service members and 4.5 percent pay raise for all other service members. I am proud that this bill takes important steps to improve housing, health care, childcare, and spousal support for service members and military families. I am proud that we were successful in blocking many other harmful provisions that attacked DEI programs, the LGBTQ community, and women’s access to reproductive health care. That work all required bipartisan compromise. Unfortunately, the Speaker has upended that process and injected a highly partisan provision not traditionally seen in the final defense bill.” 

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December 8, 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement regarding the release of the text of the final negotiated language for the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (FY25 NDAA).

“For the 64th consecutive year, House and Senate Armed Services Committee Democrats and Republicans worked across the aisle to craft a defense bill that invests in the greatest sources of America’s strength: service members and their families, science and technology, modernization, and a commitment to allies and partners.  

“Rooted in the work of the bipartisan Quality of Life Panel, the bill delivers a 14.5 percent pay raise for junior enlisted service members and 4.5 percent pay raise for all other service members. It includes improvements for housing, health care, childcare, and spousal support. House Armed Services Democrats were successful in blocking many harmful provisions that attacked DEI programs, the LGBTQ community, and women’s access to reproductive health care. It also included provisions that required bipartisan compromise. And had it remained as such, it would easily pass both chambers in a bipartisan vote.

“However, the final text includes a provision prohibiting medical treatment for military dependents under the age of 18 who are diagnosed with gender dysphoria. Blanketly denying health care to people who clearly need it, just because of a biased notion against transgender people, is wrong. This provision injected a level of partisanship not traditionally seen in defense bills. Speaker Johnson is pandering to the most extreme elements of his party to ensure that he retains his speakership. In doing so, he has upended what had been a bipartisan process.

“I urge the Speaker to abandon this current effort and let the House bring forward a bill—reflective of the traditional bipartisan process—that supports our troops and their families, invests in innovation and modernization, and doesn’t attack the transgender community.”

Click here to view a summary of the FY25 NDAA final text compiled by House Armed Services Committee Democrats.

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December 7, 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representatives Mike Rogers (R-AL) and Adam Smith (D-WA), Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee and U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Roger Wicker (R-MS), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today released the text of the final negotiated language for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25).

The legislative text is available here:

•    H.R. 5009, the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025

This legislation is substantially based on two bills: (1) H.R. 8070, the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement Act for Fiscal Year 2025, which passed the House on June 14, 2024; and (2) S.4638, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025, which was approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee on June 13, 2024.

The bills were combined through a series of negotiations led by the leadership of HASC and SASC. Negotiators considered proposals offered by members of both parties that were filed in the House and Senate.

A copy of an FY25 NDAA final text summary compiled by House Armed Services Committee Democrats can be found here.

 
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June 13, 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, and Subcommittee Ranking Members Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), John Garamendi (D-Calif.), Donald Norcross (D-N.J.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), and Andy Kim (D-N.J.) issued the following statement regarding their intention to vote no on H.R. 8070, the Servicemember Quality of Life Investment Act and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25).

“For the 64th consecutive year, House Armed Services Democrats and Republicans worked across the aisle to pass a defense bill out of committee that invested in the greatest sources of America’s strength: service members and their families, science and technology, modernization, and a commitment to our allies and partners.

“The underlying bill, rooted in the work of the bipartisan Quality of Life Panel, delivered a historic 19.5 percent pay raise for junior enlisted service members and pay raises for all other service members. It included improvements for housing, health care, childcare, and spousal support. By improving the quality of life of our service members and their families, Democrats and Republicans in the committee sent a clear message—we are dedicated to recruiting and retaining the strongest, most diverse fighting force.

“The adoption of poison pill amendments attacking reproductive health care, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people of color undermines the purpose of the defense bill by demeaning service members and degrading our national defense. That is why we oppose the final passage of the NDAA, as amended, on the House floor.

“We look forward to working with our Democratic colleagues in conference to ensure the military remains open to those willing to serve and that all those who serve get the respect and resources they need and deserve.”

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June 4, 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, released the following statement calling on Speaker Mike Johnson to reject poison pill riders and pursue bipartisan passage of H.R. 8070, the Servicemember Quality of Life Investment Act and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025, next week.  
 
"For 64 consecutive years, Congress has passed a bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act to provide the policy and authorities necessary to address the national security threats we face. Earlier this month the House Armed Services Committee did exactly that, capping months of work to pass the bill out of committee 57-1. Now, I urge the Speaker to continue this bipartisan tradition and reject attempts to add poison pills or partisan riders to the bill when it's considered by the full House next week.  
 
"The bipartisan bill reported out of committee is rooted in the work of the Quality of Life Panel, implementing numerous recommendations to better support our troops and their families. The bill seeks to address recruitment and retention issues by providing authorities to improve pay and compensation, housing, health care, childcare, and spousal support.  
 
“This year’s bill also prioritizes clear bipartisan priorities like investing in innovation and modernization to help strengthen America’s industrial base and improve readiness; ensuring robust oversight and divestment of aging legacy systems and programs; and reaffirming America’s strong commitment to allies and partners as we continue to face enormous challenges and threats around the world that we cannot face alone.
 
“If we are to succeed in passing a historic 19.5% pay raise for junior service members; funding crucial defense investments promoting innovation and strengthening our defense, and achieving our oversight obligations, there is only one viable path forward. I urge Speaker Johnson to reject all attempts to politicize and weaponize the committee-passed defense bill and honor the long-held bipartisan traditions of the House Armed Services Committee when he brings the NDAA to the House floor next week.”
 
Click here for an FY25 NDAA summary prepared by House Armed Services Committee Minority staff. 

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