Dan Meuser: “Supporting our servicemembers and their families is absolutely essential to ensuring our military readiness and ensuring…”

“Supporting our servicemembers and their families is absolutely essential to ensuring our military readiness and ensuring the United States has the greatest fighting force in the world. That is why I and many are urging all our colleagues to support the NDAA, which we will be voting on tonight, which prioritizes the well-being of those who defend our freedom. This bill delivers critical resources: improved housing through investments aimed at upgrading military facilities, better health coverage for servicemembers and their families, expanded accessibility of childcare and enhanced support for military spouses, including professional licensing portability programs. It also authorizes a significant pay raise for servicemembers, with a 14.5 percent increase for junior enlisted personnel and a 4.5 percent for all other ranks. This will provide the recognition and compensation they have earned and deserve. As well, this legislation tackles pressing challenges facing our Nation, strengthens our southern border by allocating funding for advanced surveillance technology and additional personnel, counters rising aggression from China by supporting increased funding for Indo-Pacific defense initiatives, and reaffirms our unwavering commitment to Israel by authorizing continued funding for missile defense systems like the Iron Dome.…”