On Friday, H.R. 8070, the Fiscal Year 25 Military Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act, passed the U.S. House of Representatives largely on party lines. The $883.7 billion NDAA passed in a vote of 217 to 199. Six Democrats voted in favor of the bill, while three Republicans voted against it.

Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) issued a statement after voting in favor of the bill.

“Joe Biden's failed leadership has emboldened our enemies and made the world a more dangerous place,” said Rep. Palmer. “That's why we must equip our military to defend our nation. We will do so by fully funding our nuclear deterrent and eliminating harmful DEI policies that negatively impact recruiting. Not only do we equip our troops, but those who defend our freedom on the front lines should be taken care of when they come home. The FY25 Military Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act provides a 19.5% pay increase for junior enlisted personnel and a 4.5% pay increase for all military personnel. Not only will this bill improve quality of life, it also takes a big step toward protecting life by prohibiting the Secretary of Defense from using taxpayer funds to pay for abortions.”

RELATED: Dale Strong slams Biden for opposing military pay raises

“Despite Biden's skyrocketing inflation, we must ensure that our service members can provide for their families,” said Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise). “This bill prioritizes our service members' quality of life and a strong national defense to counter growing threats to our freedom, while rejecting Biden's radical policies like abortion travel funding, critical race theory and drag queen story hours on military bases.”

“This year's NDAA is focused on supporting our service members and making sure they have what they need to keep our country safe,” said Rep. Dale Strong (R-Madison). “The NDAA will once again make a positive, direct impact to support the important work being done here in North Alabama. This year's defense bill emphasizes improving the quality of life for service members and their families, while also focusing on restoring the lethality of our military and its deterrent power to our adversaries.”

“No service member should have to choose between serving their country and providing for their family,” Strong said. “We must do better for the men and women who choose to fight for our country, especially our junior soldiers.”

The House's passage of the NDAA marks a major legislative victory for Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Saxe), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, which is tasked with crafting the House version of the NDAA.

RELATED: Rep. Mike Rogers: 2025 Pentagon budget includes 20% pay raise for junior soldiers

“Nothing is more important than investing in the men and women who serve in our all-volunteer military,” Rogers said. “When it comes to supporting our military members, we cannot afford to put it off. Today, the House passed legislation that will increase junior enlisted pay by 19.5 percent, improve unaccompanied housing, expand military access to child care and health care, and support military spouses. Service members are the foundation of our national security, and ensuring our service members are taken care of will strengthen that foundation.”

“The threats our nation faces are more complex and challenging than any we've ever encountered,” Rogers continued. “To stay ahead of our adversaries, the FY25 NDAA will keep us on track with the continued modernization of our nuclear deterrent, invest in undersea capabilities, foster innovation, and support the capabilities our warfighters need to win on the battlefields of the future. We need force to deter our adversaries, and the FY25 NDAA will ensure our military continues to deliver that force.”

According to HR 8070 from Senator Strong's office:

• Approved millions of dollars in funding for military construction projects, including $159.7 million for five projects in Alabama and $88 million for Redstone Arsenal.
• It will give junior enlisted personnel a 19.5 percent pay raise and all military personnel, including 26,000 in Alabama, a 4.5 percent pay increase.
• Expand a Defense Department program that provides employment assistance to military spouses, including 4,400 in Alabama.
• Alleviate child care staffing shortages and eliminate waiting lists for child care subsidies for eligible families seeking off-base child care. Alabama is home to 8,000 children of military families.
• Expand access to specialty providers and support efforts to hire additional mental health providers.
• Authorizes veterans service organizations to participate in transition assistance programs.
• Modify parts of the DoD milestone process to reduce redundant and unnecessary documentation burdens.
• Establish a cross-functional team to execute the Department of Defense's multi-year planning, budgeting, and execution processes.
• Increase U.S. investment in domestic military manufacturing capacity.
• Strengthen missile defense and space capabilities.
• It reverses the Biden administration's decision to halt production of Standard Missile 3 Block 1B interceptor missiles assembled at Redstone Arsenal.
• Orders the establishment of a third continental missile defense base to strengthen the defense of the U.S. mainland from long-range missile threats.
• We will continue to support investment in innovative commercial space solutions to increase our capability and resilience in space.
• Fully authorizes funding for the National Security Space Launch Program. Fully authorizes funding for the deployment of National Guard troops to support border patrol activities on the southwest border of the United States.
• Expands the Department of Defense's authority to assist law enforcement in cracking down on drug traffickers.
• Authorize increased funding for innovative technologies to deter the Chinese Communist Party, including hypersonic weapons, small nuclear reactors, and high-energy lasers.
• Prohibits the Department of Defense from providing security assistance to the Taliban.
• Directs the Department of Defense to evaluate its ability to shoot down missiles before they are launched to eliminate missile threats from Iran and its proxies.
• Chinese and Russian nationals will be barred from entering sensitive nuclear facilities.

The NDAA passed in committee on a bipartisan vote of 51-1, but on the House floor, Republicans added several socially conservative amendments to the bill, including not reimbursing military members for travel expenses for abortions, refusing to pay for gender reassignment treatments for service members, ending the Department of Defense's DEI program, and allowing soldiers discharged for not getting a COVID vaccine to rejoin the military.

Though popular among Republicans, Democrats opposed GOP amendments, resulting in most Democrats voting against the final version of the bill. The NDAA will now head to the Senate for consideration.

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