When it comes to the defense and national security issues that matter most to the American people, The Facts from the Democratic majority on the House Armed Services Committee provides essential context directly to your inbox. Click here to subscribe for more updates.

On November 15, 2021, President Biden met virtually with Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China (PRC). "Our responsibility as leaders of China and the United States," President Biden told President Xi, "is to ensure that the competition between our countries does not veer into conflict, whether intended or unintended."

During his conversation with President Xi, President Biden emphasized that the United States will continue to defend our interests and our allies, raised concerns about Beijing's repeated human-rights violations, and discussed the importance of cooperating to meet shared challenges like climate change.

H.R. 4350 — the House's version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) — supports the Biden-Harris Administration's national security priorities by authorizing investments in the right tools for U.S. success in strategic competition with Beijing and Moscow. Continue reading this edition of The Facts from the Democratic majority on the House Armed Services Committee to learn more.

Succeeding in strategic competition requires investing in the American people and our service members.

  • H.R. 4350 establishes a $15/hour minimum wage for the hardworking Americans who power our defense industrial base.
  • The House's version of the NDAA supports a 2.7% pay increase for those who serve the United States in uniform. When we invest in our service members, we’re investing in America’s national security.
  • The bill also doubles down on investments in parents across the U.S. military byincreasing allowable parental leave for primary and secondary caregivers, including foster parents.

America's allies and partners represent a key competitive advantage.

  • H.R. 4350 robustly funds the president’s budget request for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI), authorizing nearly $9 billion for PDI programs.
  • The House's version of the NDAA goes beyond fully funding the European Deterrence Initiative (EDI) — this crucial legislation also requires biennial reporting on Russian influence operations targeting U.S. military alliances and partnerships.
  • The bill would also require an interagency report to Congress on Beijing’s influence operations and campaigns targeting U.S. military alliances and partnerships. Standing with our allies and partners means understanding the threats we face together.

Our technological possibilities keep America at the leading edge of innovation.

  • H.R. 4350 features a historic 32% increase in defense-wide R&D spending. Significant increases for basic and applied research, academic partnerships, and HBCU activities will grow our economy and maintain our security.
  • The bill would also authorize the Secretary of Defense to expand the Defense Innovation Unit's efforts at engagement and collaboration in communities that do not otherwise have a DIU presence — including in economically disadvantaged communities. Whole-of-nation innovation strengthens our national security.
  • The House's version of the NDAA places America’s cybersecurity needs front and center. That’s why H.R. 4350 would authorize nearly $1 billion in new investments toward the people, programs, and technologies that secure America in cyberspace.

America's diverse talent pool helps us meet our biggest competitive challenges.

  • H.R. 4350 updates outdated diversity training requirements across the militaryto ensure training includes programming to reduce discrimination and bias based on race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and more.
  • The bill also modernizes the Selective Service System to include women, ensuring that the Department of Defense’s mobilization needs are met in the event that the all-volunteer model cannot recruit enough people during a time of national crisis.
  • The House's version of the NDAA prioritizes diversity and inclusion in America’s defense industrial base, requiring the Secretary of Defense to submit annual reports with findings from information provided by certain government contractors about diversity and inclusion within their workforces.

Successful strategic competition depends on the strength of our values.

  • To better protect America's service members, H.R. 4350 establishes an Office of Countering Extremism at the Department of Defense, responsible for training and education about extremist activities, data collection and analysis, and countering extremism within the DoD.
  • The climate crisis is here — and it threatens our national security. The House’s version of the NDAA would require the Department of Defense to incorporate extreme-weather risks into a range of key DoD strategies and plans.
  • The bill also takes bold, long-overdue action supported by the American people to reform how the U.S. military prosecutes sexual assault cases.