WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) supported Senate passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024 that invests in our nation’s servicemembers, helps secure our homeland and equips America and our allies to deter threats from adversaries.

 “This legislation is critical to our national security and ensuring we have the capabilities to defend against our enemies. It makes critical investments in modernizing weapons and deterring threats from adversaries like Russia, China and even at our own vulnerable borders. I’m pleased to help improve the quality of life for servicemembers and their families and strengthen Arkansas’s role in our national defense,” Boozman said.

 The FY2024 NDAA includes a number of provisions championed by Boozman including:

• Authorizing projects needed for Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith to successfully host the future military pilot training mission;
• Investing in domestic small arms industrial base, including several major companies with production operations in Camden;
• Funding for completion of the new National Guard Readiness Center for Fort Chaffee;
• Supporting the Army Pathfinder Program that collaborates with universities to help tactical Army units develop solutions to enhance communication capabilities for American soldiers. The University of Arkansas is a Pathfinder partner;
• Advancing military readiness as part of the United States Telecommunications Training Institute (USTTI) objectives for supporting the training needs of information technology and regulatory professionals who design, regulate and oversee communications infrastructures of the developing world. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is a USTTI partner; and
• Securing a 5.2 percent pay raise for servicemembers, the largest in two decades.