One of the few absolute must-pass bills, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), passed this week. Georgia’s representatives breathed a sigh of relief and celebrated the passage of a bill that means so much for so many Georgians, not to mention the security of the nation in general.
“When it comes to our national defense, it is important that we do our best to maintain the world’s most advanced armed forces. That means both supporting our servicemembers and their families as well as maintaining our vital military installations in Georgia and beyond and making sure our troops have cutting edge weapons and technology to get the job done,” said Congressman Sanford Bishop (D-GA 2). “I am particularly pleased that this bill includes a much needed 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted members of our armed forces. I have been raising the flag concerning food insecurity among active duty servicemembers and finding solutions to ensure no military family goes hungry. This military pay increase will help close the gap in the cost-of-living.”
With rotations in and out and base fluctuation, it is hard to peg exactly how many active-duty military are in the state but the number is somewhere around 70,000. At the state’s nine military installations, the Department of Defense directly funds more than 150,000 jobs – this number counts civilian employment. More than 300,000 are employed indirectly. Defense spending in general, including contractors such as Lockheed Martin, also fluctuates quite a bit based on current contracts but it seems to average somewhere around $10 billion. In 2021, the aforementioned Lockheed brought in more than $2 billion in military contracts – jets are very expensive.
“The FY25 NDAA provides several key wins for Georgia and focuses on improving the quality of life of all our service members and their families, who sacrifice so much to defend us,” U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, R-GA, said. “We live in the greatest nation on Earth, and it is imperative that we support those who protect our freedoms.”
Nearly every congressional district in Georgia is impacted in some way by the NDAA and its passage. There are more districts that military installations but there enough contractors to make up for that difference. The security of the country is priority number one but a few thousands or tens of thousands of jobs also weighs pretty heavily on a congressional mind.
“The importance of the NDAA cannot be overstated as it represents our commitment to the men and women in uniform and the safety of all Americans,” said U.S. Rep. Rick Allen, R-GA. “Our adversaries have been repeatedly emboldened under the Biden-Harris Administration, and we must restore America’s strength on the world stage. Period. Today’s legislation does so, while also improving the quality of life for our brave servicemembers, deterring Communist China, combatting the border crisis, and eliminating wasteful, inefficient programs.”
Perhaps most notably, and maybe most appreciated by military service-members is the inclusion of pay rises.
“From a well-deserved pay raise for service-members and reduced health care wait times, to funding the critical missions being carried out at Fort Eisenhower and SRS, passage of today’s legislation fulfills our duty to stand behind those who defend our freedoms at home and abroad,” added Allen.
