Iowa 4th District Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) voted in favor of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on Wednesday, which includes significant pay raises for the nation’s servicemembers. The $895 billion appropriations legislation consists of a 14.5 percent pay increase for junior enlisted troops and a 4.5 percent increase for all other servicemembers. Feenstra says, “In our increasingly dangerous world, we must always ensure that the U.S. military remains the most feared and lethal fighting force the world has ever known. China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, terrorist groups, and other evil forces will stop at nothing to destabilize our country and sow chaos across the globe. We can’t let them gain an inch. That’s why I voted for the National Defense Authorization Act to counter this new Axis of Evil, support our allies like Israel, and invest in our troops and their families.” In addition to the pay hikes, the reauthorization also bans diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the military, bars the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT) at military schools, and requires the Dept. of Defense to report to Congress on military cooperation between China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran. The bill passed the House on a bipartisan vote, 281-140, and now heads to the Senate for approval.
