WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Pat Ryan (D-NY-18) this week helped pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) through the House of Representatives.
Key provisions in the legislation include a 3.8% pay raise for U.S. troops and $1.5 billion for new construction of barracks, dormitories, housing, and child development centers. The NDAA also includes new protections for Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) – including Keller Army Community Hospital at West Point, which was previously facing significant downsizing.
“I fought tooth and nail to deliver for Hudson Valley families and for our country in this year’s NDAA,” said Ryan, a West Point graduate and Iraqi war veteran. “I’m especially proud of the new protections I secured for Keller – where I got care myself as a cadet – to ensure that our cadets, servicemembers, and the entire West Point community have access to the absolute best health care.”
Other key components of the NDAA include:
- Increases Family Separation Allowance for deployed servicemembers.
- Reauthorizes and expands military bonuses and special pays.
- Authorizes over $491 million to design and build new childcare centers.
- Improves the availability of care for veterans at DoD medical facilities.
- Improves servicemember access to mental health services.
- Strengthens protections for the DoD civilian workforce.
- Provisions to accelerate PFAS remediation and cleanup.
“We secured some major wins for our troops, including a pivotal military pay raise – providing our servicemembers and their families the pay and peace of mind they deserve – as well as record-breaking investments in quality of life and barracks improvements for cadets and servicemembers, including at West Point,” said Ryan, a member of the House Armed Services Committee. “This bill is a major win for Hudson Valley families and the country as a whole.”
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