McCaul backs military funding bills aiming at defense strength and servicemember welfare

U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) has expressed his support for the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement Act and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025, following a vote in favor of these legislative measures.

“The world is on fire, our adversaries are on the move, and the United States cannot afford to fall behind,” said Rep. McCaul. “I was proud to support this year’s National Defense Authorization Act to restore the focus of our military back to lethality, give our warfighters the tools they need to combat our adversaries, and counter the increased aggression of the Unholy Alliance. But most importantly, this bill improves the quality of life of our brave men and women in uniform. It authorizes a pay raise, improves housing, and provides adequate healthcare to ensure these heroes have access to the resources they earned.”

The FY25 NDAA includes several provisions backed by Rep. McCaul that aim at enhancing servicemembers' welfare and strengthening national defense capabilities. Among these provisions are a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted servicemembers alongside a 4.5% increase for all other servicemembers; construction projects for new housing and childcare facilities intended for military families; expanded access to medical care with an emphasis on mental health services; and initiatives aimed at bolstering military lethality by rolling back certain policies from previous administrations.

In addition, efforts are made within the NDAA framework to deter threats from China through enhanced deterrence measures in the Indo-Pacific region, prevention of espionage activities by Chinese entities, as well as support extended towards Taiwan's security needs.

Support is also being directed towards Israel through weapons supplies essential for countering threats posed by Iran-backed groups. Furthermore, there is an emphasis on securing U.S borders via strengthened law enforcement operations while simultaneously cutting unnecessary expenditures within the Department of Defense budget as part of cost-saving strategies.