WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly 85-to14 to approve the $895 billion bill setting policy for the military for Fiscal Year 2025.
The National Defense Authorization Act paves the way for a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted troops, funds the Virginia and Columbia Class submarine programs and Ford Class aircraft carrier construction, and the measure oks $540 million for construction projects, including child development centers at Little Creek and Oceana, and new barracks at Oceana.
But there's a hitch.
Congress appears poised to kick the can down the road until March with a continuing resolution, delaying the appropriations for these initiatives--meaning nothing will happen on any of them until then.
Senate Armed Services Committee member Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) called the bill "very, very strong," but he told reporters on Wednesday that he's "concerned" about the delay in funding for the bill.
"There could be twists and turns that make things that should be easy, hard. Now the votes are there for these priorities. I think they'll still be there in March. I just wish we weren't delaying.," he said.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Virginia) also applauded the contents of the bill.
In a news release, he said: “I’m glad to see the Senate vote to pass our nation’s annual defense bill, which delivers critical funding to equip our nation’s military, provide for our veterans, and strengthen our national security amid a complicated landscape of emerging threats."
The bill also authorizes $81 million for a new dormitory at Langley Air Force Base, $52 million for a new long weapons storage facility at Yorktown Naval Weapons Station, and $10 million for modernization of Drydock 3 at Norfolk Naval Shipyard.