Gallego Celebrates Wins in Committee-Passed Defense Budget
WASHINGTON – Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-03), a Marine Corps combat veteran and ranking member of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations, voted to advance the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025, which includes key provisions he authored and championed.
“I am proud to have once again voted to advance a strong, bipartisan NDAA that supports our troops, stands up to our adversaries and competitors, and protects our national security,” said Rep. Gallego. “And, thanks to the provisions I helped secure, this bill will keep Arizonans safe, strengthen our relationships with our allies and partners, and invest in our military families.”
Provisions Championed by Rep. Gallego Include:
Firefighter Equipment Transfer: Authorizes the Firefighter Property Program to transfer excess equipment to the U.S. Forest Service and individual states for firefighting purposes.
Anti-Tunneling Defense Cooperation: Authorizes $30 million for U.S.-Israel Anti-Tunnel Defense Cooperation, ensuring the U.S. and our ally Israel have the best technology and tools available to detect, destroy, and maneuver through terror and cartel tunnels.
Baltic Security Initiative: Directs the Secretary of Defense to brief on efforts to deepen and expand security cooperation with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania through the Baltic Security Initiative.
Tuition Assistance: Directs the Comptroller General to conduct an assessment of the military services' efforts to promote awareness of available Tuition Assistance programs.
Credentialing Assistance: Requires a briefing on the effectiveness of current campaigns promoting Credentialing Assistance Programs (CAP) and the potential to expand programs to support awareness.
Support for Taiwan: Expresses the Sense of Congress that the U.S. should continue to support the development of the capable, ready, and modern defense forces necessary for Taiwan to maintain sufficient defensive capabilities.
Troop Presence in Korea: Reaffirms the U.S.’s long-term commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea, including the importance of maintaining the presence of approximately 28,500 members of the United States Armed Forces deployed to the country.
Adversary/Competitor Defense Cooperation: Requires a briefing on the state of defense cooperation between Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.
Countering Biothreats: Requires a briefing a briefing on the requirements for research programs to counter biothreats.
Improvements at Air Force Training Ranges: Authorizes an additional $7.5M for infrastructure and communications upgrades at Air Force combat training ranges.
Cybersecurity Threats to Critical Infrastructure: Directs the Secretary of Defense to brief on efforts to further strengthen the cyber security of critical infrastructure from adversary disruption, recognizing the importance of water infrastructure in the context of a historic, long-term drought in the American West.
Direct Provider Choice: Requires active duty servicewomen to be part of a pilot program allowing them to choose their own health care provider.
In addition to the provisions secured by Rep. Gallego, the House Armed Services Committee-passed FY 2025 NDAA includes a 19.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and 4.5% pay raise for all other service members, $1.15 billion to improve the condition of housing across the military, and fully funds child care fee assistance programs to eliminate fee assistance wait lists for eligible families.