WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative John James is celebrating the signing into law of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY2025. Earlier in December, Representative John James (MI-10) voted in favor of the FY25 NDAA. This year’s NDAA contained vital wins for our servicemembers and their families, strengthened our defense industrial base, and refocused on the lethality of our military over social experiments.
Representative James issued the following statement after the bill was signed into law:
“The FY25 NDAA is doing more for junior enlisted service members than past authorizations and I am beyond proud to have voted in support of our troops. This NDAA is also a victory for the men and women at Selfridge Air National Guard Base and the Detroit Arsenal. Along with making huge strides for quality of life, homeland defense for our northern border, Selfridge, and the Detroit Arsenal, the legislation includes my Global Anti-Human Trafficking Enhancement Act, to give the State Department the tools it needs to investigate instances of human trafficking. This is a monumental win for our service members.”
The bill includes a number of Michigan-specific wins:
- Includes a “Plan for Sustainment and Recapitalization of Air National Guard Fighter Fleet” requiring the Air Force to develop a plan to sustain and recapitalize the fighter fleet of the Air National Guard, which includes the A-10 fighter squadron at Selfridge Air National Guard Base.
- Increases procurement funding for F-15EX fighters by 6, putting the total buy at 24 for FY25, increasing the chances that these fighters are available to recapitalize the aging A-10s at Selfridge.
- Includes Rep. James’ bill, H.R. 7089, the Global Anti-Human Trafficking Enhancement Act, which extends the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service authorities to investigate instances of transnational human trafficking.
- Includes an $37 million authorization for the Detroit Arsenal for a Manned/Unmanned Tactical Vehicle Lab.
- Includes an authorization for a DHS Northern Border Mission Center located along the norther border at a location collocated with an existing U.S. Border Patrol sector HQ, Coast Guard Air Station, and other DHS mission—essentially Selfridge.
- Includes a $4.4 million authorization for design funding going towards a Michigan Army National Guard Readiness Center for the Olympia Armory in Detroit.
The FY25 NDAA also includes the following legislative victories:
- Authorizes $895.2 billion for national defense programs, an increase of $9 billion or 1% over the FY24 enacted level.
- Authorizes a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted servicemembers and supports a 4.5% pay raise for all other servicemembers.
- Increases access to childcare by authorizing $176 million for construction of new childcare centers.
- Fully supports deployment of National Guard troops to augment Border Patrol activities at the southwest border.
- Authorizes full funding for joint U.S.-Israel cooperative missile defense programs (Iron Dome, Arrow, David’s Sling).
- Permanently bans DoD from funding transgender medical treatments for children.
- Prevents Chinese espionage by prohibiting contracting with the subsidiaries of any Chinese civil-military companies to include any subsidiaries, the sharing of sensitive missile defense information with China, and Chinese nationals from being admitted to nuclear facilities.
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