Schakowsky Statement on Voting Against the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), a Chief Deputy Whip and Ranking Member of the Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, released the following statement after voting against final passage of H.R. 8070, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025:
"I joined nearly all Democrats in voting against passage of the extremist right-wing Republican National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025. The original NDAA that passed out of committee 57-1 included numerous provisions that would make life better for service members and their families, including a 19.5% pay raise for junior enlisted troops, a 4.5% increase for all other service members, increased investments in childcare, and a restoration of the full Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH). These policies would go a long way towards helping ensure our military personnel and their families have what they need and deserve to thrive. But once again, the most extreme faction of the GOP got their way, and this bill turned into a MAGA manifesto that would make it impossible for women in uniform to get access to the reproductive health care they need, eliminate the office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Department of Defense, and attack the rights of LGBTQI+ service members and their families. This bill would do active harm to our national security and military readiness, and I could not vote for a bill that assaults our fundamental freedoms and attacks countless Americans.
"In addition, the NDAA authorizes nearly $900 billion in spending for the Department of Defense. Our greatest security threats have no military solutions, and it is time our budget reflects that. We must make the investments in health care, education, housing, diplomacy, public transit, and the environment that Americans deserve.
"This legislation does not reflect the best interests of our nation and does not provide the protection that our service members need, and that is why I ultimately could not support the FY 2025 NDAA’s passage."
###