Congressman says national defense bill will help Arizona
National News
Audio By Carbonatix
2:00 PM on Monday, September 15
(The Center Square) – U.S. Rep. Abe Hamadeh, R-Arizona, is proud of his vote in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act and likes what it means for his state.
The U.S. House approved the annual legislation Wednesday by a vote of 231-196. The vote was bipartisan, with 214 Republicans and 17 Democrats voting for the NDAA. Those voting against it consisted of 192 Democrats and four Republicans.
The House and Senate must reconcile their different versions through a conference committee. The House's version costs $883 billion; the Senate's, nearly $925 billion.
Hamadeh said the NDAA includes “key support” for U.S. service members.
“This legislation, which put America first, passed on a bipartisan vote,” Hamadeh told The Center Square in an email. “To me, that shows that the America First message and the Peace through Strength agenda, set forth by President (Donald) Trump, are resonating with people of good will.”
Hamadeh said he views the elements of the NDAA as bipartisan victories for Arizona.
“Not only are we delivering what our war fighters need, when they need it, we are increasing transparency and accountability,” Hamadeh said. “That took a lot of hard work, and I am very proud of what we have accomplished for the taxpayers and our service members.”
Hamadeh said he “led the charge for Arizona’s military communities” by defending, among other things, Luke Air Force Base’s One-Star General leadership. As a result, the NDAA “requires the Secretary of the Air Force to report on operational impacts, workforce demands, and costs prior to downgrading the leadership of a major base” such as Luke Air Force Base.
Hamadeh shared concerns about a downgrade to The Center Square in June. At that time, the congressman noted the base, which is near Phoenix, trains 75% of the world's F-35 fighter pilots.
Hamadeh said he fought for the NDAA to deliver reliable air conditioning for Luke Air Force Base. He said there have been “constant breakdowns” and “sweltering conditions."
Other highlights in the NDAA include a 3.8% pay raise for service members, increased investment in National Guard dump trucks and better oversight of suicide prevention efforts.
As outlined in a press release from Hamadeh, the secretary of war will now be required to report on suicide prevention resources enacted under The Brandon Act. The law was named after Brandon Caserta, a service member in Arizona that took his own life. U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona, was co-leader on this 2021 measure. The Defense Department began implementing the Act in 2023. (The Defense Department is now being known as the War Department as a secondary title under Trump's executive order until the president gets congressional approval to make "War Department" the primary name.)
