| 2025 NDAA: BIG PAY RAISE, MORE F-35s, LESS WOKE: The annual National Defense Authorization Act, the must-pass legislation known colloquially as the NDAA, was approved in record time by the House Armed Services Committee last night on 57-1, with Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) as a lone dissenter. The House version of the fiscal 2025 NDAA bill authorizes $849.8 billion for the Pentagon and provides for a historic boost in base pay for the lowest-ranking and lowest-paid members of the military, a move designed to help the services as they struggle with a challenging recruiting environment. "By authorizing a 19.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% pay raise for all other service members as well as over $17.5 billion for military construction projects, including $1.15 billion to improve the condition of housing across the military, we are ensuring we can continue to recruit and retain the most talented and diverse military and civilian workforce," Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), the top Democrat on the committee, said after the bill passed shortly after 10 p.m. "The most important investment we can make is in the foundation of our military: our people," said committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL). "No service member should have to worry about making ends meet, putting food on the table, or having safe housing. The FY25 NDAA will boost compensation, improve housing, expand access to medical care, increase access to child care, and provide support for the spouses of service members." SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE: After the vote, the press releases began to fly on Capitol Hill, with committee members touting the provisions they championed. Committee Vice Chairman Rob Wittman (R-VA) said that despite the spending cap imposed by last year's debt ceiling agreement, the committee made "strategic choices" to address "the Biden administration’s failed policies that have weakened our national defense." "These measures deter China from seizing Taiwan, weaken Russia in its unprovoked war against Ukraine, and combat Iran’s rogue attacks in the Middle East," Wittman said. "This mark includes many of my top priorities, including additional funding for education of our service members’ children, advancing electronic warfare capabilities, investing in affordable munitions, restoring a second Virginia-class submarine originally cut by the Biden administration, and expediting technology adoption into our defense systems." Among the provisions Wittman cited are requirements to increase the number of F-35 aircraft manufactured for developmental testing, procurement of more F-15EX fighter aircraft, development of affordable cruise missiles, and a ban on retiring older Block 20 F-22s and F-15E aircraft. Even Khanna, who voted against the measure, found things to like. "I was the lone no vote on the NDAA out of the House Armed Services Committee because I believe we should use this money to invest in a modern national security strategy that will actually keep us safe and domestic priorities instead of further enriching defense contractors," Khanna said while also lauding efforts to increase protection and treatment of troops who suffer traumatic brain injuries from blast overpressure. ANTI-WOKE EFFORTS: Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), chairman of the subcommittee on military personnel, touted his success in including an amendment that he says would "restore merit" by banning the use of "race, ethnicity, or political favoritism" as criteria for all recruitment, accessions, and promotions in the military. "The United States military became the strongest in the history of the world by treating service members based on their individual ability and potential. But thanks to Joe Biden's partisan and poisonous agenda, all that is changing," Banks said. "My amendment would ensure that each service member and potential recruit is evaluated based on character, not skin color or political beliefs." Another amendment, co-sponsored by Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL), would address the recent Supreme Court decision that banned affirmative action at universities but did not consider military academies. "Racially biased admission policies are always wrong, but when used by our military academies, they risk lives and weaken our national security, too. Our military must uphold the essential American principle of equal opportunity," Banks said. An amendment proposed by Waltz, which would have required gender-neutral Army fitness standards for combat specialties, failed in a 29-29 tie after Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA), a female Navy veteran and nurse practitioner, joined the Democrats in opposition, according to Politico's Connor O'Brien. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Good Thursday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre's Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Stacey Dec. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn't work, shoot us an email and we'll add you to our list. And be sure to follow me on Threads and/or on X @jamiejmcintyre CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP OR READ BACK ISSUES OF DAILY ON DEFENSE HAPPENING TODAY: KENYA TO GET NON-NATO ALLY STATUS: When President Joe Biden welcomes Kenyan President William Ruto to the White House for a full-blown state visit, complete with private meetings, a joint news conference, and a fancy state dinner, Biden will confer on Kenya a special honor: designation as a major non-NATO ally. "The upcoming visit will mark the 60th anniversary of U.S.-Kenya diplomatic relations and will celebrate a partnership that is delivering for the people of the United States and Kenya," the White House said. "The visit will strengthen our shared commitment to advance peace and security, expand our economic ties, and deepen democratic institutions. At yesterday's less formal welcome, Ruto gently chided Biden for failing to keep his promise to visit Africa in 2023. "Mr. President, when are you going to Africa, sir?" Ruto said, according to the White House transcript. After some joking and hemming and hawing, Biden finally said, "I plan on going in February after I'm reelected." Biden meets with Ruto today at 11 a.m., with a news conference scheduled for 12:30 p.m. The festivities surrounding the state dinner begin at 6:30 p.m. ALSO TODAY: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) plans to bring the doomed formerly bipartisan “Border Act of 2024" to the floor for a vote, so it can fail and Democrats can blame Republicans for not being serious about the crisis on the southwestern border. "If you told me a year ago that this was the kind of bill that we had before us … I would have thought we would have had a good chance," Schumer said on the Senate floor yesterday. "We thought Republicans would have leapt at the opportunity to enact this bill into law. By objective measure, it's strong, it's necessary." "Unlike H.R. 2, a very partisan bill, this bipartisan bill was written with the goal of getting 60 votes in the Senate. It had input from both Republicans and Democrats. H.R. 2 can't claim that. It was totally put together by Republicans and got virtually no Democratic support," Schumer said. "So, let's be perfectly clear: Our bipartisan border bill represents a real chance, in fact, the best chance in decades, to act on border security." MIKE JOHNSON SAYS FAILED BORDER DEAL 'DEAD ON ARRIVAL' IN THE HOUSE MCCAUL: 'WILL YOU CHANGE THIS POLICY?': Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is not the only one frustrated by the Biden administration ban on using U.S.-supplied weapons to attack targets on Russian soil to defend against the devastating destruction being wrought by Russian glide bombs and other standoff weapons. Displaying a poster-size map created by the Institute for the Study of War, which shows all the Russian targets Ukraine could hit, if it had permission, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, excoriated Secretary of State Antony Blinken for the policy, which he said is "tying their hands behind their back." "This is a sanctuary zone that the Russians have created. And what they’re doing is they’re lining up all their artillery and rockets and missiles just across the Ukraine border that they then use to attack the Ukrainians," McCaul said, pointing to the map, which showed the range that long-range ATACMS and HIMARS could reach across the border with Russia. "However, your administration and Jake Sullivan have restricted the arms use so that Ukraine cannot defend itself and fire back at Russia." "That’s why I mandated the attacks in the supplemental, the long-range, short-range, and the HIMARS that your administration is tying their hands behind their back, not unlike what you’re trying to do in Israel. Will you change this policy so Ukraine can fight without one hand tied behind its back?" McCaul demanded. Blinken had an answer, but it didn't address the question. "As you know, we’ve rallied 50 countries over the last two years to come to Ukraine’s defense to provide it with the weapons it needs to defend itself to push back against Russian aggression. When it comes to enabling, endorsing attacks outside of Ukraine, that’s not something we’ve done. But Ukraine will have to make, and will make, its own decisions, and I want to make sure it gets the equipment that it needs to effectively defend itself." "Congress got them the equipment. And thank you for implementing that. But Congress did not put restrictions on the use of these weapons, it’s Jake Sullivan and your administration that has put the restrictions on these weapons," McCaul fired back. "They cannot achieve victory with these restrictions that you, not the Congress, have placed on them. And I hope you will take that back to the national security adviser and the National Security Council and change this policy decision that is very dangerous and damaging to the Ukrainian people," McCaul said as his time expired. ZELENSKY’S FRUSTRATION BOILS OVER IN NEW YORK TIMES INTERVIEW: 'WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?' THE RUNDOWN: Washington Examiner: US against Ireland, Spain, and Norway's 'unilateral recognition' of Palestinian state Washington Examiner: Biden administration softens Rafah rhetoric following mass evacuation Washington Examiner: White House defends Gaza pier despite slow start Washington Examiner: US 'very close' to presenting Saudi normalization deal to Israel, Blinken says Washington Examiner: Russia looks to 'gain control of the Baltic Sea': Sweden Washington Examiner: UK says China is arming Russia, contra Blinken Washington Examiner: House GOP seeks to avoid last-minute scramble with ambitious schedule to pass spending bills Washington Examiner: Rick Scott launches second run to replace McConnell as GOP leader Washington Examiner: Congo coup: Who are the Americans tied up in failed putsch? Washington Examiner: Keir Starmer seems set to become UK prime minister on July 5. Will that affect US relations? Washington Examiner: Why is Biden running scared of Putin in Ukraine? Washington Examiner: Air Force salutes airman who died in tragic police shooting New York Times: China Launches Military Drills Around Taiwan As 'Punishment' AP: Baltic Sea Nations React Warily To A Reported Russian Proposal To Revise Its Maritime Border New York Times: Inside the White House, a Debate Over Letting Ukraine Shoot US Weapons into Russia The Hill: House defense bill includes amendment assessing impact of publicizing Russia's nuclear space weapon Washington Post: Israel's latest offensives unleash 'hell' in Gaza, aid groups say AP: How does this end? With Hamas holding firm and fighting back in Gaza, Israel faces only bad options Reuters: Blinken Urges Egypt To Ensure Aid Is Flowing Into Gaza AP: First Aid From U.S. Pier In Gaza Has Reached Starving Palestinians, The UN Says Washington Post: Israel's latest offensives unleash 'hell' in Gaza, aid groups say The Hill: Even talk of a Netanyahu visit stirs firestorm of controversy Defense News: US, Gulf States Meet for First Security Forum Since War in Gaza AP: Iran prepares to bury late president, foreign minister and others killed in helicopter crash Washington Post: Oman to expel dozens of ex-Guantánamo detainees Bloomberg: Houthis Are Using Weapons That Can Reach The Mediterranean Sea, U.S. Says AP: Missile splashes into the Red Sea, causing no damage in latest suspected Yemen Houthi rebel attack Inside Defense: Lawmakers Eye Future of F-35 in House Authorization Bill Markup Air Force Times: The Air Force Doesn't Know Why Maintenance Mishaps Spiked in 2023 Air & Space Forces Magazine: Air Force Releases First Official Photos of B-21 in Flight Air & Space Forces Magazine: What the Air Force's New B-21 Photos Show About the Raider Breaking Defense: Saab Teases Future Fighter Demonstrator Concepts, Awaits Direction from Sweden Breaking Defense: Is Russia's Cosmos 2553 Satellite a Test for a Future Orbital Nuclear Weapon? SpaceNews: Space Force Selects Companies to Develop Concepts for Simulated Space War Training Range Air & Space Forces Magazine: As Pace of Launches Explodes, USSF Eyes Upgrades and Expansion for Spaceports Defense One: CYBERCOM, DARPA Pen Agreement to Speed Up Advanced Cyberwarfare Research Military.com: Air Force General Charged with Sexual Crimes Has Retirement Request Denied by Service Secretary Washington Post: Veterans became eligible for billions. Private firms saw a chance to profit. Air & Space Forces Magazine: Beards for Airmen? House Panel Proposes Air Force Trial Program USNI News: SECNAV Del Toro Names New Destroyers For Former SECNAV Danzig, CJCS Mullen Forbes: Opinion: It's Time to Rebuild America's Fighter Force, Not Cut It THE CALENDAR: THURSDAY | MAY 23 9 a.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW — Hudson Institute discussion: “The Senate Perspective on the U.S.-China Rivalry,” with Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and Roslyn Layton, senior fellow, George Mason University National Security Institute https://www.hudson.org/events/senate-perspective-us-china 9 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion, beginning at 9 a.m., on “Where Does the U.S. Go from Here — Gaza: The Human Toll,” with David Satterfield, senior State Department adviser on the Middle East; Nick Schifrin, PBS NewsHour foreign affairs and defense correspondent; Jon Alterman, director of the CSIS Middle East Program; Michelle Strucke, director of the CSIS Humanitarian Agenda and Human Rights Initiative; and J. Stephen Morrison, director of the CSIS Global Health Policy Center https://www.csis.org/events/where-does-us-go-here-gaza-human-toll 10 a.m. 2167 Rayburn — House Transportation and Infrastructure Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee hearing: "Review of FY2025 Maritime Transportation Budget Requests, Pt 2: The Coast Guard," with testimony from Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan; and Coast Guard Master Chief Petty Officer Heath Jones http://transportation.house.gov 10 a.m. 2359 Rayburn — House Appropriations State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee hearing: “FY2025 Request for the U.N.,” with testimony from U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield http://appropriations.house.gov 10 a.m. — Foreign Policy and International Community of the Red Cross virtual discussion: “Principles of Humanity Under Pressure: The Geneva Conventions at 75 and the future of international humanitarian law,” with retired Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, co-founder of the McChrystal Group and former commander of the Joint Special Operations Command; Oona Hathaway, professor of international law at Yale Law School; Udo Jude Ilo; senior director for advocacy, Center for Civilians in Conflict; Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross; and Mayesha Alam, vice president of research at FP Analytics https://foreignpolicy.com/events/principles-of-humanity-under-pressure/ 5 p.m. 1521 16th St. NW — Institute of World Politics book discussion: Mao’s America: A Survivor’s Warning, with author Xi Van Fleet, Chinese immigrant who fled China during Mao Zedong’s reign. RSVP: [email protected] FRIDAY | MAY 24 10 a.m. Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, Maryland — U.S. Naval Academy 2024 commencement ceremony with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin delivering the commencement address TUESDAY | MAY 28 4 p.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave, NW — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual and in-person book discussion: China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasion, and America’s Struggle to Defend the West, with author David Sanger, White House and national security correspondent for the New York Times, and Seth Jones, CSIS senior vice president https://www.csis.org/events/chinas-rise-russias-invasion | | | | "Perhaps most importantly, this bill sends a critically important message to the American people that bipartisanship is still possible, and the members of this committee have a deep and abiding respect for the people who serve in our armed forces as well as a shared desire to ensure that we fulfill our congressional duty to provide for the common defense." | | Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, on nearly unanimous passage of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act in committee late Wednesday night |
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