WASHINGTON—Representative Scott Franklin (FL-15), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, today acted in support of our nation’s military service members by voting for passage of S. 1605, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2022, on Tuesday evening.

“Our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Guardians, and Marines face ongoing global threats in defense of our nation,” said Rep. Franklin. “Passing this bill is a critical step to providing them with needed support and resources to continue their remarkable legacy of defending America. Tonight’s action continues a 61-year-long tradition of bipartisan action to strengthen our national security. I believe in peace through strength, and the provisions and funding in this bill will provide just that, especially as we continue to counter adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran. I look forward to quick Senate passage so President Biden can sign it into law.”

“Rep. Franklin has been a leader on the House Armed Services Committee and has worked tirelessly to support our troops,” said Rep. Mike Rogers, Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee. “He has also been vital in the effort to hold the Biden administration accountable for the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. The NDAA is critical for strengthening our national security and giving our troops the funding and tools they need. I thank Rep. Franklin for his work on this important legislation.”

The 2022 NDAA provides a total of $768 billion in funding for the U.S. Armed Forces. Included in the legislation is a 2.7 percent pay raise for service members, several provisions to counter the threat posed by China, funding to put the country back on track toward building a 355 ship Navy, provisions to increase readiness, unprecedented levels of funding in emerging technologies, modernization of the U.S. nuclear arsenal, and an end to investment in outdated weapons systems and programs.

Additionally, Republican leadership successfully removed the troubling “Red Flag” provision that would infringe on the Second Amendment rights of our armed forces, and a requirement for women to register for the draft. Multiple other Democrat partisan provisions that distracted from national security readiness were removed prior to passage.

The 2022 NDAA includes several provisions and amendments secured by Rep. Franklin, including:

• An accounting of U.S. air assets left in Afghanistan and those returned to the United States.
   
• A report regarding the extent to which the Department of Defense shared personal identifiable information of U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and allies with the Taliban during the evacuation of Kabul, Afghanistan.
   
• A report on options for assisting the government of Ukraine in addressing its integrated air and missile defense gaps.
   
• Reporting language on the assessed impact of space debris on the National Defense Space Architecture, risk of commercial and military Lower Earth Orbit, and the extent to which the Department of Defense is engaging allies and partners on efforts to develop technologies that reduce space debris.
   
• Clarification of a requirement on the reporting of U.S. special forces involved in collective self-defense instances while operating abroad.
   
• A report on the potential for the institution of carsharing services for troops on Department of Defense installations.
   
• Bill language that would allow for protective DNS for the Department of Defense, thus enhancing network and email security.
   
• Reporting language on Department of Defense software patching requirements and how they can be improved.