The House-Senate compromise version of the National Defense Authorization Act announced over the weekend includes a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted officers, according to materials released by the House Armed Services Committee and reports from Roll Call and other outlets. House lawmakers pushed for the raise, while the Senate bill included a more modest increase.
Armed Services Committee Member Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.) said a committee priority next year will be to include a higher pay raise for senior enlisted officers, Military Times reported.
More from the Deal
According to a summary, the $850 billion Pentagon authorization would also:
- Authorize the continuation of the Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP)
- Require DOD to provide a report by March 31 on DCIP, including how officials define the term “military value” in the application and evaluation process, as well as any other challenges the program faces
- Continue to exclude Coast Guard communities from participating in DCIP
- Allow not-for-profit, member-owned utility services to participate in DCIP
- Authorize $954 million over the Pentagon’s request for housing and facility maintenance
- Expand access to the basic needs allowance and requires DOD to ensure the allowance covers service members’ costs
- Expand the number of doctors, nurses and mental health providers
- Make it easier for military spouses to transfer professional licenses between states and be considered for open DOD civilian positions
- Support deployment of National Guard members to the U.S.-Mexico border
What’s Next
Lawmakers are expected to pass consider bill this week.
But it only authorizes the programs and spending levels. The money isn’t appropriated until lawmakers reach a spending bill for the current fiscal year, which is unlikely to happen before spring, about eight months into the fiscal year.
Air National Guard photo by Airman Cynthia Yang