San Antonio Standard

On June 14, 2024, Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) voted to pass H.R. 8070, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25). This legislation provides a pay raise for troops, improves military housing, supports employment for military spouses, prioritizes quality of life initiatives for military families, and equips armed services to defend against America's adversaries.

The bill includes several of Congressman Gonzales' defense priorities for the 23rd Congressional District of Texas:

- Over $50 million to support Rep. Gonzales’ Community Project Funding Request for new housing, classrooms, and a dining facility at Lackland AFB in San Antonio.

- $44 million for the rail yard at Fort Bliss in El Paso.

- $38 million for the T-7 Ground-Based Training System at Laughlin AFB in Del Rio.

- $24 million for MHPI Restructure at Lackland AFB in San Antonio.

- $18 million for T-7 Unity Maintenance Training Facility at Laughlin AFB in Del Rio.

Additionally, an amendment directs the Department of Defense to enforce an implementation plan to ensure military families see an increase in their Family Service Allowance (FSA). Rep. Gonzales helped secure an increase from $250 to $400 in last year's NDAA; no increase had been made since 2004.

Key priorities advanced by Congressman Gonzales include:

**Pay Raise for Troops:** The FY25 NDAA gives junior enlisted servicemembers a 19.5% pay raise, expands allowances for housing and food, and improves the cost-of-living calculation.

**Improved Housing:** The FY25 NDAA boosts funding for housing maintenance accounts, strengthens oversight of military housing programs, and pursues public-private partnerships to upgrade unaccompanied housing.

**Access to Medical Care:** The FY25 NDAA reduces dangerous healthcare wait times by expanding access to medical providers, especially mental health providers, and increases oversight of healthcare accessibility for servicemembers.

**Support for Military Spouses:** The FY25 NDAA makes it easier for spouses to transfer professional licenses across states and expands DoD programs that provide employment support to military spouses.

**Access to Childcare:** The FY25 NDAA improves access to childcare by mitigating staffing shortages at DoD facilities and fully funding childcare fee assistance programs.

**Deters Communist China:**

- Prevents espionage in military supply chains and research institutions.

- Reforms DoD acquisitions to expedite fielding innovative technologies needed to deter aggression.

- Bolsters Taiwan’s defense and supports Indo-Pacific allies while increasing funding for U.S. defense initiatives in the region.

**Defends Israel:**

- Expands U.S.-Israel military exercises and fully funds cooperative missile defense programs.

- Increases funding for R&D of emerging technology and anti-tunneling programs with Israel.

**Secures America’s Border:**

- Fully funds National Guard deployment at the southwest border.

- Expands authorities and increases funding for DoD counternarcotics activities.

**Oversight & Accountability:**

- Saves $30 billion by cutting inefficient programs, obsolete weapons, and Pentagon bureaucracy.

- Cracks down on contractor waste by cutting $4.3 billion from underperforming programs.