Press Releases

Today, Congressman Richard E. Neal released the following statement after voting against passage of H.R. 5009 – Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025. 

“As a long serving member of Congress, and one who is proud to have two military bases in their district, I am appalled that the National Defense Authorization Act has become a political weapon for House Republicans. Since 1961, the NDAA has historically been bipartisan legislation that not only ensures the strength and stability of our military, but also invests in research and development initiatives that address matters of global significance. Commonsense measures like 4.5% pay increase for servicemembers and authorizing projects that benefit the workforce at companies like General Dynamics and Warren Pumps have been a hallmark of the NDAA for decades.

“However, House Republicans have once again politicized what has historically been bipartisan legislation by including extremist provisions. Instead of prioritizing initiatives that will support servicemembers and their families, like those at Westover and Barnes, they are choosing to promote a culture war. Ultimately, these political stunts resulted in a bill I could no longer support. With the incoming administration and a new legislative session on the horizon, I implore Republicans to stop playing political games and get back to what the American people elected us to do: the difficult work of legislating. That means supporting our men and women in uniform, not promoting an extremist agenda.”

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