Mike Rogers - Chairman of the Armed Services Committee | Official U.S. House headshot
Mike Rogers - Chairman of the Armed Services Committee | Official U.S. House headshot
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Mike Rogers (R-AL), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, addressed the House Floor in support of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for FY25.
"For the first time in decades, this year’s defense bill carries a different short title," stated Rogers. "It is the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act."
Rogers emphasized the bill's focus on enhancing conditions for servicemembers and their families. "No servicemember should have to live in squalid conditions. No military family should have to rely on food stamps to feed their children. And no one serving this country should have to wait weeks to see a doctor or a mental health specialist," he said.
The proposed legislation includes several key provisions aimed at improving quality of life: a 20 percent pay raise for junior enlisted personnel, expanded housing and food allowances, and $766 million allocated for barracks improvements. Additionally, it seeks to reduce healthcare wait times by waiving referral requirements for specialty care and increasing DoD medical staff through special recruitment measures.
The bill also aims to improve childcare access by funding new DoD childcare centers with over $206 million and supporting childcare fee assistance programs. To aid military spouses, it proposes easier transfer of professional licenses between states and enhanced employment opportunities during duty station changes.
Rogers highlighted the importance of these measures for recruitment and retention amid growing threats from China. The FY25 NDAA includes reforms to acquisition authorities, strengthens security partnerships with Taiwan and Pacific allies, fully funds nuclear deterrent modernization, protects U.S. bases from espionage, builds logistics networks in the Pacific, and invests in revitalizing the industrial base.
"In the face of growing threats from China, it’s also critical we restore the military’s focus on lethality," Rogers added. The bill aims to eliminate divisive policies affecting recruiting and readiness while focusing on cutting wasteful spending within the DoD.
"This is a truly bipartisan bill," Rogers noted, mentioning its strong committee approval with a vote of 57 to 1. He concluded by urging all members to support the legislation.
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