WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (AL-03), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, released a statement applauding House passage of H.R. 5009,  the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025.

“The FY25 NDAA gives junior enlisted servicemembers a historic 14.5% pay raise; boosts funding for housing; expands access to medical providers; supports programs that provide employment support to military spouses; and improves access to childcare. Providing for our servicemembers is the most important job that Congress has. Every single man and woman who serves in our Armed Forces made the selfless decision to serve and protect our nation. It is vital that we ensure that our servicemembers and their families are taken care of. I am immensely proud of the bipartisan work accomplished by the House Armed Services Committee to improve the quality of life for our servicemembers and their families.

“China is the most dangerous threat facing our nation – the FY25 NDAA is laser-focused on deterring China and protecting our nation. The FY25 NDAA boosts funding for U.S. defense initiatives in the Indo-Pacific; supports the continued modernization of our nuclear deterrent; revitalizes our defense industrial base; and expedites the fielding of innovative technologies. This year’s NDAA also bolsters U.S. support for Israel as it defends itself against Iran and its terrorist proxies. Additionally, the FY25 NDAA restores the focus of our military on lethality by prohibiting funding for Critical Race Theory and the politically biased Countering Extremism Working Group.

“Importantly for Alabama, the FY 2025 NDAA authorizes $119.6 million for military construction projects in Alabama and further cements Alabama’s place as a leader in national defense.

“I urge the Senate to quickly pass this important piece of legislation.”

Measures that directly benefit the state of Alabama included in the final version of the FY2025 NDAA can be found below:

Boosting funding for the Anniston Army Depot:

• Increased funding for procurement of PIM combat vehicles, which are made at Vehicle Upgrade and Overhaul Center (VUOC) in Anniston, AL.
• Increased funding for procurement of Abrams tanks, which are refurbished at the Anniston Army Depot.
• Increased funding for RDT&E for Stryker Modernization, which are refurbished at the Anniston Army Depot.
• $3M to design general purpose warehouse at Anniston Army Depot.
• $5M to design a guided missile maintenance building at Anniston Army Depot.
• $56M to construct a power generation and microgrid project at Anniston Army Depot.
• $14M to design a smalls arms warehouse at Anniston Army Depot.

Supporting Alabama Communities:

• Supports Alabama’s textile manufacturing industrial base.
• Requires an assessment of the munitions disposal process to better protect workers and local communities in Alabama.

Bolstering Innovation:

• $40M for the continued construction of Ground Test Facility Infrastructure at Redstone Arsenal.
• $20M for Defense in Depth as Mission Assurance for Spacecraft Multilevel Security.
• $3M for Virtual Integrated Testbed and Lab (VITAL) for Trusted Artificial Intelligence Operations (TAO).
• $3M for Distributed Gain 200-KW Laser Weapon System.
• $3M for RAPID C-sUAS Missile.
• $6M for Air and Missile Defense Common Operating Picture.
• $6M for Threat Counter-Artificial Intelligence.
• $3M for Virtual Modification Work Order Digital Engineering Tool.
• $6M for Expansion of Radar and Avionics Repair and Sustainment Facilities.
• $4M for Spectrum Dominance with Distributed Apertures.
• Requires an assessment of the future basing of unmanned aircraft in Alabama.
• Establishes a pilot program on the use of robotic targets to enhance the lethality of reserve components of the Army.
• Accelerates the fielding of air defense capabilities at Air Force installations.
• Requires DoD to develop a process to expedite the manufacturing of critical parts for military aircraft.

Strengthening Missile Defense:

• $250M to restore SM-3 IB production.
• $176M for an additional AN/TPY-2 radar Antenna Equipment Unit.
• $167M for an additional Patriot launcher.
• $120M for Missile Defense Agency special programs.
• $65M to expand SM-3 IIA production.
• $33.5M for the development of disruptive technologies.
• $15.5M for sensors modeling and simulation.
• $13.5M for the Missile Defense Agency’s infrastructure modernization initiative.
• $3M for Kinetic, Non-Kinetic Resource Optimization.
• $3M for Artificial Intelligence Decision Aids for All Domain Operations.
• $10M for Advanced Reactive Target Simulation.
• $3M for Hypersonic Kill Vehicle Hardware-In-The-Loop.

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