Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Bob Menendez
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J) today applauded Senate passed the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which included several of the senator’s priorities, including the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act. The $857.9 billion FY2023 defense spending bill provides vital funding to support our national security, American’s troops, veterans, and their families.
“Today, I voted for the National Defense Authorization Act of 2022, a bipartisan bill to safeguard our national security and support our service members with the resources they need to implement the National Defense Strategy. I’m glad we were able to come together in a bipartisan way and authorize a 4.6% pay raise, a 2% housing allowance increase, and expanded childcare benefits for our men and women in uniform. These measures will bolster our civilian military workforce, upholding the commitment we owe to those willing to put their lives on the line for our country, both domestically and abroad.
“This critical legislation contains many domestic priorities I have championed during this Congress, including the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act to protect judges on the federal bench and their families from threats to their safety. It also authorizes funding for several U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects in New Jersey as part of the Water Resources Development Act of 2022, including the Rahway River, Sea Bright, Manasquan, Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook Bay, and other small flood control projects in South Jersey counties. And it provides funding for ongoing studies at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the impact of per- and polyfluoroalkyl — also known as PFAS chemicals — which have been linked to health complications when found in everyday items and drinking water and which I’ve proudly supported and urged for in previous years.
“With the passage of this legislation, we are also sending several of my priorities as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to the President’s desk for their signature into law. This includes my historic Taiwan Enhanced Resilience Act to strengthen the U.S.-Taiwan relationship; my United States-Ecuador Partnership Act to expand our nation’s cooperation with Ecuador; and my Department of State Authorization Act of 2022, which supports and invests in our nation’s diplomats, building on last year’s passage that broke a near 20-year streak of an authorization bill not being passed into law. Most importantly, we uphold our commitment to Ukraine in its fight against the unjust and unprovoked attack by Russia.
“Simply put, the FY2023 NDAA is a big deal for our nation and for New Jerseyans and their families. Supporting our troops, keeping our communities safe and investing in our national security is one the most fundamental obligations we have as Members of Congress. I thank partners from both sides of the aisle for supporting my priorities included in this historic legislation.”
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