WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Senate voted 85-14 today to pass the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and send it to President Biden to be signed into law.

The $883.7 billion NDAA strengthens existing defense programs and improves pay and benefits for servicemembers, including a 14.5 percent pay raise for junior enlisted servicemembers and a 4.5 increase for all other servicemembers.

U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), who led passage of the bill through the Senate, stated: “The 2025 NDAA strengthens America’s economic, industrial, and military might. It invests in our servicemembers -- increasing the pay of junior enlisted servicemembers by an historic level. And it contains significant raises for all other uniformed personnel and DOD employees too.  It includes major quality of life improvements -- enhancing things like childcare, housing, medical services, employment support for military spouses, and more.  And it authorizes critical investments in technology and advanced weapons systems; strengthens our cyber capabilities; and bolsters innovative research and development efforts.”

The 2025 NDAA authorizes investments for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and national security programs at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to safeguard the nation, enhance our deterrence capabilities, and strengthen America’s defense industrial base.  The $883.7 billion topline includes $849.9 billion for DOD programs, $33.3 billion for national security programs at DOE and the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, and $512.4 million for other defense-related activities.

The NDAA sets defense policy and investment priorities for the next year, including military readiness, training and operations; infrastructure construction and maintenance; and research and development programs. 

“This NDAA will make America stronger and more secure.  It includes future-oriented policies, cost-effective investments, and battlefield improvements to safeguard the nation, support our forces, and reform the Pentagon.  It’s a major victory for our servicemembers and their families that improves their pay, health, housing, and more.  This bill ensures the continued excellence of our all-volunteer force – by far the most dominant, capable, and advanced military fighting force in the world.  It wisely invests in improving our undersea capabilities, boosts innovation, and supports the technology and capabilities our warfighters need to deter aggression and prevail on any future battlefield.  It will strengthen the U.S. position amid strategic competition and bolster our economic advantage,” said Senator Reed.

With submarines and underwater systems playing a key role in the U.S. military’s power projection, Congress is putting more resources into submarine programs and boosting the defense industrial base, including General Dynamics’ Electric Boat facilities at Quonset Point in Rhode Island and Groton, Connecticut. Electric Boat is in the midst of a hiring boom and currently employs 23,000 workers, with the goal of increasing its workforce to a target of 33,000 in the coming year. 

In addition to building new state-of-the-art submarines for the U.S. Navy, the Department of Defense is committed to selling a handful of Virginia-class submarines to Australia as part of the AUKUS security agreement between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Reed highlighted several key provisions of the bill that will benefit Rhode Island’s defense workforce and the state’s economy, including:

  • More than $7 billion to support construction of one Virginia-class submarine, including $357 million to purchase materials for a second ship;
  • Nearly $595 million for research and development of improvement existing submarine capabilities and development of a new class of submarine, now known as the SSN(X).
  • $73.5 million for Navy applied research on undersea warfare technologies, led by the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC);
  • $20 million for the Defense Established Programs to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR), which ensures Rhode Island universities may compete to perform cutting-edge basic research and partner with defense labs;
  • $50 million in supplemental Impact Aid and $20 million in Impact Aid for schools with military dependent children with severe disabilities; and
  • Additional cost-to-complete military construction funding for the Rhode Island Army National Guard Readiness Center.

Additionally, the bill includes several provisions to support small businesses, including language to ensure small business customer service issues are resolved expeditiously by DOD; and improvements to the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs of DOD, including making military service academies and other education institutions eligible for the STTR program.

Hundreds of small businesses across Rhode Island supply the U.S. Department of Defense, and hardworking Rhode Islanders contribute to the creation of a wide range of military products, equipment, and services.  Additionally, Rhode Island is home to the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport; Naval Station (NAVSTA) Newport; and the Naval War College.  These facilities, along with leading academic research institutions and a network of suppliers and small businesses, contribute to a defense industry that is boosting Rhode Island’s economy and leading to advancements in technology and innovation.

A recent report by SENEDIA shows that the total direct and indirect economic impact from defense spending in Rhode Island accounted for $7.6 billion in 2022. The report found that Rhode Island’s defense industry is growing and supported a total of 34,068 direct and indirect jobs across the Ocean State with an annual payroll of $3 billion.

The bill was previously approved last week by a vote of 281-140 in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

This marks the 64th consecutive year that Congress has passed the NDAA.

Reed noted that Congress must still enact a full fiscal year 2025 appropriations bill.  Reed also serves on the Appropriations Committee.