Golden Preserves Ship for Bath Iron Works, Secures Benefits for Servicemembers and their Families in Annual Defense Bill

WASHINGTON — The conference report of the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) — the final version of the legislation — passed the House today. Using his position on the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) successfully secured numerous priorities sought by Mainers across the Second District, including important new benefits for servicemembers and their families.

“I’m proud to have pushed for a bipartisan bill that focuses on keeping our country secure, providing for those in uniform who protect us, and ensuring consistent work for our skilled shipbuilding workforce,” said Golden. “I believe in providing our servicemembers the tools they need and the pay they deserve to defend this nation.” 

The FY2024 NDAA authorizes funding for two Flight III DDG-51 destroyers, one of which will be built at Bath Iron Works (BIW). This authorization represents years of additional work for the shipyard on top of existing orders secured by Golden in the past. Golden also helped secure a substantial increase in Advanced Procurement funds for future DDG-51 destroyer construction, providing stability to the shipbuilding defense industrial base. 

In addition to securing funding authorizations for future DDG-51 procurement, Golden also led the way in supporting our naval shipbuilders, including a provision making clear that it is the national policy of the United States that shipbuilders are “a unique national security imperative that requires sustainment and support by the Navy and Congress.” 

The legislation also includes a 5.2% pay raise for servicemembers, which would be the largest increase in 22 years, in addition to investments in servicemember and family quality of life. These include investments in housing infrastructure, expansion of reimbursement eligibility for spousal career goals, and significant investments in child development centers. On top of other meaningful compensation boosts – particularly for junior enlisted members – this package is recognition that our troops fill an irreplaceable role and that their wages should reflect that. 

The final FY2024 NDAA contains many of the provisions Congressman Golden worked to secure on a number of priorities, including: 

Shipbuilding:

• Funding that supports the DDG(X) development program. The DDG(X) is the planned successor large surface combatant to the DDG-51 destroyer. 

Research and Innovation in Maine:

• Providing financial support to State Maritime Academies, like Maine Maritime;
• Enabling the Department of Defense (DOD) to examine modern, innovative construction materials, such as the mass timber products produced in Maine; 

ME Air National Guard: 

• A provision limiting the Air Force from reducing the number of reserve and National Guard KC-135 tanker aircraft (the kind used by the ME Air National Guard’s 101st Air Refueling Wing (“Maineiacs”) from a primary to backup training and maintenance status;

Servicemembers:

• Improving TRICARE benefits, especially surrounding co-pays, reimbursement rates, and non-opioid treatment options;

Small Business: 

• Modifying the Procurement Technical Assistant Program (PTAP) to better support small businesses contracting with the Department of Defense; 

Other: 

• Extending the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative at the $300 million dollar level through FY2025 to support the Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative; 
• Protecting the resource level in the President’s Budget Request for Iron Dome funding;
• Resourcing both the European Defense Initiative, a Department of Defense program, to strengthen the capability of US forces, NATO allies, and our European partners to deter and, if necessary, respond to Russian aggression and the Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative, a Department of Defense program, to strengthen deterrence capabilities in the Indo-Pacific in response to Chinese coercion.

In response to efforts made this summer by his colleagues to use the House-passed version of this legislation to advance their harmful personal agendas, Golden voted against many of these amendments, including those that would restrict servicemembers’ access to reproductive and gender-affirming health care. These amendments were stripped in the final version of the bill that passed the House today.

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