Congresswoman Lee’s Defense Bill Provisions for Nevada Pass House

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) voted to pass the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025. The legislation includes a number of wins for military families, national security, and Nevada-specific projects.

“This year's bipartisan defense bill makes critical investments in our national security and the military families who make sacrifices every day to keep us safe. Notably, it includes a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted servicemembers and a 4.5% raise for all other troops. I was proud to also secure several provisions to improve health care for southern Nevada’s servicemembers and boost our military readiness,” said Congresswoman Susie Lee. 

Lee’s amendments and legislation passed as part of the defense bill include: 

• Improved trauma care for civilians at military treatment facilities, such as through the program run by Nellis AFB’s Mike O’Callaghan Military Medical Center, strengthening emergency care services for the entire southern Nevada community. 
• Language paving the way for Lee’s Military and Educational Data Integration Act to help states provide better information to students about military service as a possible career path, as well as language protecting and expanding the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC). 
• Requirements from the Blast Overpressure Safety Act, which Lee co-leads, to better protect servicemembers from blast overpressure and traumatic brain injuries sustained in the line of duty. 

Additionally, the bipartisan defense bill makes significant improvements to quality of life for military servicemembers and their families, including: 

• A 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted servicemembers and 4.5% pay raise for all other servicemembers. 
• Expanding childcare benefits through Department of Defense Child Development Programs, fully funds childcare fee assistance programs, and ensures that pay for childcare staff at Department of Defense childcare centers is competitive with private industry. 
• Improving servicemember housing with $177 million in military construction design funds to accelerate replacement of poor and failing unaccompanied housing and barracks. 
• Combatting servicemember food insecurity through a re-evaluation of the Basic Allowance for Subsistence. 
• Eliminating copays for contraceptives and establishes a demonstration program for cryopreservation storage, effectively lowering the cost of and expanding protections for servicemembers’ reproductive care. 
• Supporting opportunities for military spouses to find gainful employment and take care of their families. 

The defense bill also includes key priorities for Nevada national security installations and servicemembers: 

• $136.3 million for construction projects at the Nevada National Security Site and military installations across Nevada. 
• No funding for defense nuclear waste storage at Yucca Mountain. 
• $220 million for the procurement of two additional C-130Js, which will bring the Nevada Air National Guard one step closer to securing the aircraft they need to continue their wildland fire fighting and national defense missions. 

The FY25 NDAA also includes critical investments to our ally Israel for programs such as the Iron Dome, David’s Sling Weapons System, and the Arrow 3 Upper Tier Interceptor Program. 

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