Rep. Chu Statement on National Defense Authorization Act
Washington, D.C – Today, the House passed S. 1605, the Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2022. The FY22 NDAA authorizes a total of $678.2 billion for the Department of Defense.
This funding, which is $24 billion above President Biden's Budget Request and $8 billion above total FY21 defensive funding, would include a 2.7% pay increase for servicemembers. It also makes long-overdue changes to the Uniform Code of Military Justice to improve responses to sexual assault, authorizes funds to help relocate at-risk Afghans, and includes Rep. Judy Chu's (CA-27) amendment to extend the Department of Defense's (DOD) hazing reporting and tracking requirements while also expanding their scope.
Rep. Chu voted against the NDAA and issued the following statement:
"Even though it further inflated our already disproportionately large defense budget - even as we struggle to fund urgent priorities for families - the House's version of the National Defense Authorization Act that we passed in September was one I was proud to support because it made significant reforms. In particular, it would have allowed for ending the cruel and indefinite imprisonment at Guantanamo Bay. But, unfortunately, the Senate-passed version reinstated the prohibition on detainee transfers, and weakened other language so that we are left with an astronomically high amount of defense spending without necessary changes to improve the way it is spent. It also removed language that would have expanded the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, established new wilderness areas, and created a National Recreation Area in the San Gabriel Valley to help more people appreciate this land for generations to come. It also removed language requiring that nonactive duty servicemembers and their dependents could access contraception cost-free, like their civilian counterparts, and removed significant provisions aimed at countering the rise of violent extremism within our military. This bill is already beyond what the President requested and what the House had passed, but without stronger reforms or the environmental provisions of the House's version, I cannot support today's bill.
"However, while I cannot vote for such a large increase in defense spending, I am pleased that this NDAA will be our first in 20 years not to fund the war in Afghanistan. And, with the inclusion of my amendment to extend hazing reporting and tracking requirements, this NDAA will help us better understand the problem of hazing in the military and what must be done to protect our troops. Additionally, it makes long overdue changes to the Uniform Code of Military Justice to better respond to and protect victims of sexual assault.
"While I am glad that these changes made it into the final NDAA, the version that we received from the Senate is simply too large, and the reforms too limited, for me to be able to support this bill. Our troops and our country deserve better."