Wicker Praises National Defense Agreement

Statement

U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today released the following statement after the leaders of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees announced a bipartisan, bicameral agreement on the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act:

"This announcement has been a long time coming, but I am heartened that Congressional leaders have come to a bipartisan, bicameral agreement on the National Defense Authorization Act," Wicker said. "The text released today represents a strong investment in our military -- $25 billion above the President's budget request -- which will be necessary to deter growing threats from China and Russia.

"I am also glad that my colleagues heard reason and removed provisions that would have allowed America's daughters to be drafted. National defense remains a cornerstone of our work in Congress, and I will continue fighting to provide our troops the support they so urgently need."

The NDAA would also provide several priorities important to Mississippi, including:

2.7% pay raise for military service members and Department of Defense personnel
$15.5 million for training equipment at Camp Shelby in Mississippi
Nearly $1.7 billion for a second Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer
$40 million in research and high performance computing development at Mississippi State University
$2 million in research for military applications of graphene at the University of Mississippi
$100 million in support for LHA-9, which is a large deck amphibious ship made in Mississippi
Prohibits service members from being dishonorably discharged for refusing to be vaccinated for COVID-19

Source