Mohave Today

Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued a statement following his vote in favor of H.R. 8070, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025.

“I am pleased this year’s NDAA legislation is a return to defense-related priorities, focusing on military readiness, rather than being overloaded with unrelated woke liberal provisions having nothing to do with strengthening our military,” stated Congressman Gosar.

Gosar highlighted the significance of Arizona's contribution to the armed forces and noted that four of his amendments were included in the NDAA. One amendment authorizes employees at the Yuma Proving Ground to use non-electric vehicles for their duties. "The military is no place to experiment with untested technology," he said, emphasizing concerns about electric vehicles' reliability in desert conditions.

Another amendment requires the Secretary of Defense to report to Congress on the training of Ukrainian Armed Forces within the United States. Gosar pointed out that Ukrainian Air Force pilots are currently being trained on F-16 fighter jets at Morris Air National Guard Base in Tucson, raising national security concerns.

Additionally, Gosar secured an amendment mandating the disclosure of all records related to the January 28, 2024 attack on Tower 22 in Jordan. This incident resulted in the deaths of three U.S. Army service members from Fort Moore, Georgia, and injuries to members of Arizona's National Guard.

The final amendment prohibits reallocating funds intended for barracks construction for U.S. troops towards aid for Ukraine. “This amendment affirms the funding commitment to American service members,” said Gosar.

Gosar criticized previous allocations for "unrealistic climate mandates" and other social issues, asserting that this year's NDAA focuses on pay increases, housing improvements, healthcare access, and military defense systems without funding what he termed as "the proxy war in Ukraine."

H.R. 8070 would authorize $895.2 billion in funding: $850 billion for Department of Defense discretionary base, $33.3 million for Department of Energy discretionary base, and $500 million for defense-related activities—a total increase of $9 billion or 1% over FY 2024 levels. The bill also supports a pay raise by 19.5% for junior enlisted service members and 4.5% for all other service members.