{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/annual-defense-bill-passes-out-of-committee-with-king-backed-provisions-to-strengthen-national-security-and-support-maine-economy", "Annual Defense Bill Passes out of Committee with King-Backed Provisions to Strengthen National Security and Support Maine Economy", "2024-06-14", "2024", "2024-06", "Independent", "Senate", "ME", "Angus S. King, Jr.", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", "angusking", "https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/table", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), hailed the bipartisan passage of the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) out of committee after more than sixteen hours of deliberation. This legislation will strengthen America\u2019s national security, support our men and women in uniform, and boost the economies of Maine communities through shipbuilding and the hundreds of businesses that serve the military\u2019s technological and manufacturing needs.\n\nToday\u2019s passage represents the first step in bipartisan negotiations to pass a fiscal year budget for our armed forces and national defense interests. It includes a number of provisions that Senator King backed, including: support for veterans, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer for Bath Iron Works (BIW), an aggressive new military-wide approach to monitoring traumatic brain injuries (TBI), provisions to address the security threats posed by artificial intelligence, and stronger measures to prevent illegal drugs from entering the country.\n\n\u201cFor over six decades, Congress has taken a bipartisan approach to ensure that America\u2019s military and defense forces have the training, equipment, and resources to carry out their missions. I\u2019m proud that we could continue the tradition this year to pass an annual defense bill out of Committee that will make our nation, and our state, safer and stronger,\u201d said Senator King. \u201cAs our global community faces some of its greatest challenges, the bill makes important investments in our military\u2019s greatest asset \u2013 its people. The legislation supports good-paying jobs in Maine communities, particularly through its funding for shipbuilding at Bath Iron Works and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. These funds will help the shipyards plan their futures, continue to build the highest-quality ships, and maintain the submarine fleet that our Navy needs to accomplish missions across the globe.\n\n\u201cThere are many more important provisions in this legislation \u2013 including a long-overdue traumatic brain injury monitoring program, fighting the opioid epidemic, and deterring Chinese aggression,\u201d continued Senator King. \u201cAll told, this year\u2019s NDAA will make our country safer, strengthen our economy, and support the men and women who fight for our freedoms.\u201d\n\nThe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 includes King-backed provisions to:\n\nINVEST IN MAINE SHIPBUILDING AND INSTALLATIONS.\n\nThe FY25 NDAA authorizes $1.43 billion for an additional DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that Bath Iron Works will build.\n\nThe legislation also includes a legislative fix to ensure employees of public shipyards have access to quality lodging for those providing long-term, essential work at our public shipyards.\n\nThis legislation also supports critical Maine National Guard facilities and authorizes funding for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) modernization efforts \u2013 including the Dry Dock extension that will allow PNSY to increase its capacity to maintain the Navy\u2019s submarine fleet.\n\nPREVENT TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES (TBI) AND BLAST HEALTH. Included in this legislation is the Blast Overpressure Safety Act that Senator King introduced with several colleagues to protect servicemembers from blast exposure and address TBI, which is considered the \u201csignature wound\u201d of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill also includes funding for the Special Operations Brain Health and Trauma Program.\n\nFUND MAINE INNOVATION AND SMALL BUSINESSES. This legislation addresses modernizing Pratt & Whitney\u2019s important contribution in North Berwick to building F-35 engines and further addresses the F-35 Propulsion and Thermal Management System, This legislation aids University of Maine-driven research and development in soil stabilization and infrastructure resiliency, textile developments, and digital manufacturing. It addresses Maine\u2019s leadership in the production of tungsten alloys and the importance of Defense Industrial Alliances such as the Maine Defense Industrial Alliance. It further supports the highly technical and unique work of Maine\u2019s composites industry including support for a re-entry vehicle pilot program and expeditionary shelters. Senator King continues to support the Arctic including the Arctic Watch Tower initiative and Arctic research at U Maine.\n\nPFAS AND THE ENVIRONMENT. The bill includes important provisions protecting the environment, most importantly increased funding for cleanup efforts. It further codifies the existing DOD policy that compels the military services act to address any release or threatened release of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).\n\nSUPPORT AMERICA\u2019S VETERANS, SERVICEMEMBERS AND FAMILIES.\n\nThis legislation includes a 4.5% pay increase for military servicemembers and a 2% pay increase for civilian personnel. Additionally, the bill authorizes increased funding to increase full-time Active, Guard, and Reserve members within the Air National Guard, and increases monthly basic pay for junior enlisted service members in the grades of E-1 through E-3.\n\nSenator King also worked to secure the inclusion of the Welcome Home Veterans Act which will ensure servicemembers are better connected to their state veterans agencies as they begin to transition out of active duty. The Committee remained focused on improving the Transition Assistance Program through this legislation and additional measures to improve participation and training.\n\nAdditionally, the FY25 NDAA includes a pilot program marking Pregnancy as a Qualifying Life Event (QLE), thereby expanding TRICARE options for pregnant beneficiaries. The legislation also includes multiple amendments addressing suicide prevention.\n\nDETER AGGRESSION FROM FOREIGN ADVERSARIES. The FY25 NDAA includes a requirement for the Secretary of Defense to submit yearly reports on the directed energy roadmap to deter aggression from our adversaries like Russia, Iran and China.\n\nENHANCE PUBLIC-PRIVATE CYBERSECURITY COOPERATION. The bill addresses how small businesses and universities obtain and maintain cybersecurity protections, with direct input from the University of Maine and Maine small businesses.\n\nCOMBAT ILLEGAL DRUG TRAFFICKING. The FY25 NDAA includes multiple King-led provisions pertaining to Counter-Transnational Organized Crime and improvements in coordination between the Combatant Commands to address the flow of fentanyl and illicit drugs.\n\nMAINE NATIONAL GUARD AND SERVICEMEMBER READINESS. At Senator King\u2019s request, this legislation includes proposed Maine National Guard design funding for the Southern Maine Readiness Center in Saco, ME. The FY25 NDAA also addressed issues pertaining to housing allowances, along with locality and incentive pay in remote areas and irregular housing markets. This aims to address subsequent impacts on retention and recruitment.\n\nMODERNIZE CRITICAL NUCLEAR DETERRENCE. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, Senator King is a Congressional leader working to modernize the nation\u2019s nuclear triad and address the threats posed by new hypersonic weapons. The bill strengthens the nuclear triad and nuclear command and control including cyber protections and addressing concerns with Artificial Intelligence. The bill also includes important oversight of the NNSA and nuclear modernization programs to help address cost and defense industrial base concerns.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:11:47Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/annual-defense-bill-passes-out-of-committee-with-king-backed-provisions-to-strengthen-national-security-and-support-maine-economy"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4731099363416433, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}