Congressman Blake Moore issued the following statement on his vote in support of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA):
“As the Member of Congress representing Hill Air Force Base (HAFB) and the northern Utah defense community, I was grateful to vote for H.R. 8070, the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025. This bill provides a 19.5% base pay increase for our junior uniformed airmen at HAFB, strengthens our armed forces through investments in advanced technology, and sustains military readiness and deterrence that sends a message of strength to American adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran. This bill supports our defense efforts while saving taxpayers $30 billion by cutting inefficient programs, obsolete weapons systems, and unnecessary bureaucracy at the Pentagon.
In this NDAA, I secured wins that will help advance the mission set and benefit the servicemembers at HAFB. I worked with the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) to include language requiring the Comptroller General to explore alternative methods for locality pay calculations, and I also led with my HASC colleagues amendments requiring the Department of Defense (DOD) to produce a comprehensive plan for U.S. depots and military industrial facilities like the Ogden Air Logistics Complex and add safer construction standards for new housing projects on military bases. The NDAA fully funds HAFB’s Sentinel program, which will modernize our ground-based intercontinental ballistic missile program, bring nearly 4,000 jobs to northern Utah, and ensure a reliable ground-based nuclear deterrent long into the future.
In addition, I successfully worked with my colleagues to authorize two military construction projects at HAFB worth $78 million: $28 million for the F-35 East Campus infrastructure and $50 million for a future T-7A Depot Maintenance Complex. My Retain Skilled Veterans Act also made it into the bill to remove the 180-day waiting period for veterans seeking to transition to civilian service at the DOD after their time in uniform.
Consistent with my pro-life and pro-family values, I supported an amendment prohibiting the Secretary of Defense from using taxpayer dollars to pay for or reimburse expenses related to abortion services, reinstating a longstanding policy the Biden administration violated. This NDAA also supports military families by increasing funding for housing maintenance and allowing military spouses to more easily transfer their professional licenses across state lines after a relocation.
I am pleased that the overall cost of this package is within the guardrails of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 and allows us to both support our servicemembers and their families while responsibly stewarding taxpayer dollars. Prioritizing and equipping our military is the only way the United States can create a strong national defense that deters our adversaries and global threats. It is my honor to represent HAFB and uphold my commitment to advocate for our defense community.”
The Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act outlines the United States defense policies for Fiscal Year 2025. The bill also lays out specific priorities for the Pentagon and Department of Energy and provisions that would affect defense programs that are funded by discretionary appropriations in 2025 and future years. These provisions will primarily affect benefits and compensation, force structure, and multiyear procurement of weapons systems.
In addition to the wins outlined in Congressman Moore’s statement, H.R. 8070 delivers for our servicemembers, their families, and our national defense strategy by:
- Fully funding deployment of the National Guard at the southwest border,
- Expanding U.S.-Israel military exercises and funding cooperative missile defense programs,
- Increasing funding for U.S. defense efforts in the Indo-Pacific to support Taiwan and allies in the Indo-Pacific,
- Requiring merit-based military promotions,
- Hiring more childcare staff,
- Expanding access to specialty healthcare providers and employing mental health providers,
- Ending affirmative action at service academies and DEI bureaucracy at the Pentagon, and
- Restricting unapproved flags from being flown on military bases.
