Georgia wins! And I’m not (just) referring to the SEC championship game.
Last week the U.S. House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), one of the most important responsibilities Congress has. This resolution dictates where and how taxpayer dollars will be spent to fund the military. Fortunately, this year’s bill was packed with wins for service members, their families, veterans and Georgians.
Specifically, it allocated $858 billion for our military in FY23, more than $10 billion beyond what President Joe Biden requested. This money will go towards combatting Biden’s inflation crisis by cutting costs at the commissary and raising service members’ wages by 4.6 percent..
It will empower military families by making it easier for spouses to start a business and giving parents the right to review their child’s school curriculum.
It strengthens the military health care system and expands mental health services and suicide prevention programs.
It also prohibits the closure of Savannah’s Combat Readiness Training Center, something I fought hard to maintain because right now, with Russia in Ukraine and China eyeing Taiwan, the worst thing we could do is pull back on our military readiness.
We should be opening up more Combat Readiness Training Centers, not shutting them down.
The NDAA also authorized funding for maintenance and training projects at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay.
Oh, and that unconstitutional vaccine mandate for military service members? DEFUNDED!
I could go on and on about this bill, but long story short it will make life better for service members and their families, strengthen national security, and counter our adversaries’ aggression, particularly China and Russia.
We are blessed here in Georgia’s coastal First District with a strong military community. Every single branch of the military has a base or training center here. Thanks to the fantastic weather, low taxes, and high standard of living, a lot of military members retire here upon leaving the service.
To any veterans or service members reading this today, thank you. I didn’t have the honor and privilege of serving in the military– my opportunity to serve my country came in the form of public service– but I am committed to ensuring that our world-class troops have the world-class training and resources that they deserve.
And remember, bipartisanship still exists, even if you don’t hear about it in the news.
U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., serves on the U.S. House Budget Committee.
