Washington, DC – U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro (NY-19) today announced seven bipartisan measures he authored were included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024. Rep. Molinaro had more policy inclusions than every other freshmen Member of Congress.
The NDAA, which Rep. Molinaro voted in support of, authorizes the budget and expenditures for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) for Fiscal Year 2024. The bill includes a 5.2% pay raise for our heroes, the largest in over 20 years. Once the House and Senate pass their versions of the bill, lawmakers will begin working to develop a compromised NDAA to be signed into law.
Rep. Molinaro said, “I am thrilled to have seven bipartisan measures that I authored included in the NDAA. They are significant wins for our national defense and the well-being of our servicemembers, military families, and veterans. My measures expand mental healthcare for our military, support military families with disabilities, and ensure access to quality healthcare. With the Senate now developing its own NDAA, I look forward to our continued work to develop and enact a bipartisan bill that fortifies our nation's defense capabilities and safeguards the welfare of those who have bravely served.”
Summaries of Molinaro’s bipartisan measures included in NDAA:
- Requires routine mental health checkups for children with disabilities in DoD-operated schools.
- Authorizes a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study on the effectiveness of the Exceptional Family Member Program and to identify any improvements that can be made. This program provides support to military families with disabilities.
- Requires the DoD to ensure TRICARE, the military’s healthcare program, is fully covering Narcan (naloxone) to prevent fatal overdoses.
- Requires DoD to examine the level of care available for in-home nursing care through TRICARE and CHAMPVA, the Department of Veterans Affairs’ healthcare program, to ensure active duty members, veterans, and their dependents can receive high-quality medical care, at affordable rates.
- Directs the Secretary of the Army to produce a report on the progress made to modernize the Army’s Black Hawk Helicopters.
- Requires the DoD to produce an update report on the nation’s defenses against biological threats.
- Requires a study to identify potential vulnerabilities in U.S. military systems and infrastructure that could be exploited by adversarial AI applications.
Other key provisions in the NDAA:
- Supports a 5.2% pay raise for our servicemembers, the largest in over 20 years.
- Authorizes over $240 million to reduce servicemember out-of-pocket housing expenses.
- Reduces childcare fees for military families.
- Expands the in-home childcare pilot program to focus on more rural areas.
- Funds the construction of new childcare centers.
- Funds and expands programs to deter Chinese aggression.
- Rejects the Biden administration’s effort to reduce the size of the Navy.
- Increases funding to research and develop advanced technologies to defend Israel.
