Rep. Mike Kelly, U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 16th District | Official U.S. House headshot
Rep. Mike Kelly, U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 16th District | Official U.S. House headshot
U.S. Representative Mike Kelly, a Republican from Pennsylvania, has cast his vote in favor of the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This legislative package is designed to bolster military and national defense programs.
"The NDAA provides a well-deserved pay raise and much-needed support for our brave men and women in uniform," stated Rep. Kelly. He emphasized the importance of a strong national defense given current global tensions: "With war in Europe, the Middle East, and increased tensions between China and Taiwan, a strong national defense is vital to American security at home and abroad."
The FY2025 NDAA includes several key provisions:
- A 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members.
- Support for deploying the National Guard at the southwest border to address illegal immigration and drug trafficking.
- Measures addressing security threats from the People's Republic of China (PRC) and economic security issues.
- Steps to prevent Chinese espionage within U.S. military operations, supply chains, and research institutions.
- Expansion of U.S.-Israel military exercises along with full funding for cooperative missile defense programs.
- Increased funding aimed at strengthening U.S. defense initiatives in the Indo-Pacific region to support Taiwan's defense efforts and regional allies.
- Savings of $31 billion by eliminating inefficient programs, outdated weapons systems, and reducing Pentagon bureaucracy.
- A cut of $4 billion from programs that fail to meet requirements.
- Prohibition on contracts with advertising firms that blacklist conservative news sources such as NewsGuard Technologies Inc.
- Abolition of diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) bureaucracies and climate change programs within the Department of Defense (DOD).
- Bans on teaching or promoting critical race theory within DOD educational settings.
- Permanent bans on transgender medical treatments for minors under DOD jurisdiction.
- Countermeasures against antisemitism by prohibiting sales at DOD commissaries from entities engaged in boycotts against Israel.
Further details about what is included in the FY25 NDAA can be accessed through additional resources.
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