House passes NDAA that includes Golden-led authorization for new Bath-built destroyer
Defense authorization bill also invests millions in Maine’s production economy,
includes largest pay raise for junior servicemembers in 40 years
WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today voted to pass the final version of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Throughout negotiations, Golden used his position on the House Armed Services Committee to secure substantial investments in Maine’s production economy — including the construction of a new DDG-51 destroyer at Bath Iron Works.
The legislation also includes a 14.5 percent pay raise for the most junior enlisted service members. The raise applies to pay grades E-1 to E-4, such as the ranks of private to corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, and is the first substantive increase to the bottom of the military’s pay scale since the 1980s.
Today’s vote was on the conference report of the NDAA, which is produced by select House and Senate lawmakers to resolve differences between the two chambers’ proposals.
“By passing this bipartisan NDAA, Congress reaffirmed its commitment to keeping America safe and our servicemembers taken care of,” Golden said. “Whether it’s the brave men and women who answer the call of duty or the workers who build the equipment they need, Mainers play a vital role in our national defense — and this bill gets all of them the resources to do their jobs well.”
Golden ensured that through the NDAA, Bath Iron Works will continue to play a leading role in the production of naval warships. The bill includes an over $5.4 billion authorization for the construction of three DDG-51 destroyers next year — including one at BIW — and $150.5 million for shipyard research and development to lay the foundation for the next generation of Bath-built ships. The bill also includes over $83 million in advanced funding for the DDG program with an eye toward the construction of destroyers at BIW in 2026, and language to ensure the dredging of the Kennebec River necessary for BIW to get ships to the ocean.
The NDAA directs millions in additional federal funds to Maine-based institutions and manufacturers. The University of Maine will receive $4 million to research more resilient soil for military construction and power projection. Lewiston-based Elmet Technologies, a 100 percent U.S.-owned and operated company, will receive $2.5 million to manufacture specialized alloys critical for munitions, reducing U.S. dependence of foreign-produced rounds.
The 2025 NDAA also includes the following Golden-led priorities:
- Support for Maine-based wood products, through a directive to encourage the use of mass timber in military construction projects;
- A provision to protect positions in the Maine Air National Guard by prohibiting the reduction of KC-135 Aircraft until they can be replaced with next-generation aircraft.
- A provision to support Brewer-based Compotech, Inc., by encouraging the use of their artificial intelligence and machine learning technology for weapons testing to improve the safety and success of U.S. armed forces.
- $47.5 million for the U.S.-Israel Future of Warfare Fund and $30 million for U.S.-Israel Anti-Tunneling Cooperation. Golden was the lead Democratic sponsor on the bill establishing the Fund, which supports the bilateral research and development of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, directed energy and automation.
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