Florida Rep. Mike Waltz (R) has issued a statement in praise of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Waltz is the Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness.
The FY 2024 NDAA includes several of Rep. Waltz’s priorities, which includes making sure that there is military readiness as well as bolstering Florida’s military personnel and addressing the growing threats that the United States faces from the likes of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
In his statement, Waltz recounts his time as a veteran and Green Beret, saying that he knows “the importance of a well-equipped, well-prepared military force.”
“Right now, our country faces numerous threats from adversaries, like the Chinese Communist Party, whose technology and military capabilities are advancing as rapidly as their ambitions,” Waltz warned.
To address this, Waltz explained that the bill “will help ensure America can face these growing challenges ahead while protecting our strategic interests at home and abroad – and improving the quality of life for the men and women of our armed services and their families.”
The bill also “secured military construction funding for bases and installations in our district and across Florida to ensure the Sunshine State remains the most military-friendly state in our country.”
The language and priorities included in the bill are the following:
- Prohibit JROTC programs at CCP-controlled private schools
- Prohibit importation of renewable energy technology from China for U.S. military use
- Review Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs at the Department of Defense
- Prohibit funding for Critical Race Theory (CRT) at U.S. Service Academies
- Set gender-neutral fitness standards for combat military occupational specialties in the U.S. Army
- Examination of the U.S. Army recruitment shortfalls and application to National Guard structure
- Prohibit Department of Defense from contracting with any company conducting business with the Putin regime, or any natural gas, oil, and coal company operating in Russia
- Promote collaboration between the U.S. and Israel to develop best-practices in researching, diagnosing, and treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Encourage teaching as a career path for veterans
- Support training and readiness missions at Cecil Airport and General Aviation Airports
- Increase manufacturing capacity, lower costs, and support an accelerated supply chain of Legacy and Independently Designed Sonobuoys in De Leon Springs, Florida
- Allocate funding for new construction projects at Florida military bases, including Camp Blanding Joint Training Center, Patrick Space Force Base, MacDill Air Force Base, Eglin Air Force Base, and Jacksonville Air National Guard Base
- Upgrade Ship-to-Shore Fuel Distribution System
- Promote collaboration and threat sharing with commercial space operators and the Department of Defense
- Continue commissary privileges for remarried Gold Star Spouses
- Increase the number of Congressional nominations to the U.S. Service Academies
