Rep. Sykes Votes to Pass National Defense Authorization Act
Bipartisan Legislation Includes Key Ohio Priorities, Pay Raise for Service Members
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) voted in favor of H.R. 5009, the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025, the country’s annual national defense bill. The legislation contains $122.1 million for key military construction projects that will deliver for Ohio military installations and the communities that support them. This final version of the bill was negotiated with the U.S. Senate, and is expected to pass the Senate before heading to the president’s desk to be signed into law.
“I’m proud to sign this bipartisan legislation that includes critical investments to improve Ohio’s military facilities, creating jobs for Ohioans across the state,” said Rep. Sykes. “I’m disappointed that the majority used this bipartisan bill as an opportunity to play politics with our service members and their families. However, the legislation also includes a significant – and well earned – pay raise for junior enlisted service members, which will bolster recruitment and retention across our branches of military.”
The annual defense package includes investments to improve Ohio’s military installations, and create jobs for Ohioans, including:
- Wright-Patterson Air Force Base: Total $83.1 million
- Advanced Materials Research Laboratory: $9.2 million
- Space Force Intelligence Center (Design): $1.9 million
- Army National Guard Lima: $26 million for a Readiness Center
- Rickenbacker International Airport: $6 million for a Small Arms Range
- Youngstown Air Force Reserve Station (YARS): $25 million for Fire Station construction.
Along with Ohio’s military construction priorities, the NDAA also includes provisions that will support the objectives of the National Defense Strategy, strengthen the all-volunteer force, support servicemembers and military families, and equip our servicemembers to protect the country from any threat. Those provisions include:
Pay and Compensation
- A 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% pay raise for all other service members.
- Reevaluating how cost-of-living allowances are calculated so they include the appropriate costs of location-specific items such as food, tolls, and other fees that may be charged in the continental United States or outside the continental U.S.
Health Care
- Requiring the Department of Defense (DOD) to provide access to specialty medical providers.
- Establishing a program to prevent and manage perinatal mental health conditions.
- Providing tele-mental health care services to service members and their dependents regardless of the location of the provider or patient.
Childcare
- Extending the Military Spouse Career Accelerator Pilot which provides employment support to military spouses through a paid fellowship with employers across various industries.
- Permanently granting authority to DoD to make transferring professional licenses between states easier for military spouses.
- Expanding eligibility for DoD Child Development Programs — both on and off installation — for unemployed military spouses actively seeking employment.