WASHINGTON — United States Representative Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House, today commended House passage of the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act.
The annual legislation includes major priorities for the Louisiana defense community, particularly Barksdale Air Force Base along with Air Force Global Strike Command and Fort Johnson along with the Joint Readiness Training Center.
“As America is facing unprecedented threats across the globe, the National Defense Authorization Act will strengthen our national security against adversaries like China and Russia, and support our servicemembers by providing them with the tools necessary to continue to be the most lethal and effective fighting force in the world,” Johnson said.
“Importantly, this legislation returns the Department of Defense’s focus back to the business of defending our nation and away from social experiments that hurt our military’s recruitment, morale, and readiness. House Republicans secured important victories by reining in harmful Biden Administration policies, such as taxpayer funded censorship of conservative media, Critical Race Theory in the military and its schools, and Pentagon DEI bureaucracy,” Johnson continued. “This bill also supports military families by securing the largest pay raise for our brave men and women in decades while protecting the rights of military parents in their children’s education.”
LA-04 Provisions included in FY 2024 NDAA:
Barksdale Air Force Base
- Weapons Generation Facility ($112 million)
- Building upon the $165 million secured in the past two years for this project, the WGF will enable Barksdale to once again become a nuclear weapons Air Force Base. Currently, B-52s stationed at Barksdale must fly to North Dakota to be armed with nuclear weapons. This presents national security and efficiency issues, and the construction of a WGF at Barksdale will solidify its place as one of America’s most important military installations.
- 307th Bomb Wing Medical Facility Expansion ($7 million)
- The current medical facility for the 307th Bomb Wing was constructed in 1998 and is prone to overcrowding. This funding will construct an expansion of the facility to allow the wing to more efficiently medically process personnel during training weekends and for operational purposes. Without this expansion, personnel may not be medically cleared in a timely manner, thus delaying deployments and the wing’s overall readiness standing.
- Planning and Design Funds for a new Dormitory ($7 million)
- Planning and Design Funds for a Child Development Center ($2 million)
Air Force B-52 Program
- The B-52 remains the backbone of the U.S. bomber force and will remain so for years to come. This year’s NDAA includes over $944 million to continue support of the aircraft and give it the capabilities it needs to maintain an edge over our adversaries.
Long Range Standoff Weapon
- The B-52 is currently able to carry air launched cruise missiles (ALCM), but they are in need of a replacement missile that can penetrate modern-day air defense systems. The long-range standoff weapon is a new ALCM that is currently being developed, and this year’s NDAA includes over $891 million to keep the program on track.
Since being appointed to the House Armed Services Committee in 2021, Congressman Johnson has secured:
- Nearly $620 million in military construction projects for the State of Louisiana
- $330.5 million for Barksdale Air Force Base
- $261.8 million for Fort Johnson
- $13.8 million for Camp Minden
- $2.3 billion for the Air Force B-52 program
- $1.82 billion for the Long Range Stand Off Weapon program
In addition, this year’s NDAA:
- Supports a 5.2% increase in servicemember basic pay, the largest pay raise in over 20 years
- Bans the promotion of Critical Race Theory in the military, guts the Pentagon’s DEI bureaucracy, reins in taxpayer-funded censorship of conservative media, and protects the rights of military parents in their children’s education
- Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to pay junior enlisted members a monthly bonus to counteract the effects of record-high inflation
- Expands the Basic Needs Allowance to assist low-income servicemembers supporting a family
