The Senate Armed Services Committee has passed the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe, who is the Ranking Member of the Committee, praised the passage and the benefits to military installations in Oklahoma.
Inhofe was still critical of President Biden’s approach to national defense.
“By cutting military funding at the same time he was growing domestic spending by nearly 20 percent, President Biden showed that our national security wasn’t his priority. I’m proud the bipartisan Senate Armed Services Committee could come together to put service members first and support my amendment to sufficiently increase defense spending in the National Defense Authorization Act. There is a reason this bill has passed for 60 consecutive years—it stays true to its objective of ensuring service members have the training, resources and equipment they need to complete the mission and return home safely—and this year should be no exception. While no bill has everything I want, I am proud to support this bill because it provides the appropriate increase in funding our needs,” said Inhofe.
Among the elements Inhofe is praising in the NDAA bill, improvements to the on-base housing waitlists, fully funding the missions at Tinker Air Force Base, Altus Air Force Base, and Vance Air Force Base. He also noted the bill would provide a more secure power source for the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant and the development of new artillery weapons at Fort Sill.
“Oklahoma—with our five strong military installations—is essential to our national security. I worked to make certain this year’s NDAA ensures all of our installations and the surrounding communities are fully resourced to invest in the important research our bases need to continue to keep their cutting-edge advantage. Furthermore, it addresses real problems faced by military families when relocating to a new base. I look forward to the NDAA’s swift consideration by the full Senate.”
The Senate Armed Services Committee passed the NDAA by a vote of 23 to three. It now heads to the full Senate for consideration.
