“This year under Republican House leadership, Congress followed regular order on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to ensure all members, in both chambers, had the opportunity to participate in the crafting of the legislation and ensure the priorities of their districts and states were met. The NDAA exemplifies bicameral, bipartisan work and will bolster our national defense capabilities, increase our military readiness, and support our servicemen and women, all while remaining within the Fiscal Responsibility Act’s FY 24 defense discretionary spending level. Moreover, the legislation funnels key investments through defense programs in Southwest Arkansas, which is critical to ensure we remain a global defense leader and support Arkansans who work in the national defense industry.

“I advocated for, and am proud to see, provisions included in the NDAA that would give the Department of Defense (DoD) authority to grant funding to the Army-Navy Hospital in Hot Springs for on-site security and fire prevention services. This is the next step in a whole-of-government approach to properly secure the site and put it on a better path forward to a more beneficial use in the future.

"Through this process, House Republicans successfully fought to push back against the radical woke ideology in our military, which the Senate tried so hard to include. This NDAA bans the teaching, training, and promotion of critical race theory in the military, guts the pay of DEI bureaucrats at the Pentagon, and prohibits the display of any unapproved flags at military institutions - meaning the VA can no longer display pride flags at their facilities. While we fought hard to push back on the woke agenda and this NDAA came out with significant conservative priorities included, our country needs a Republican controlled House, Senate, and White House to get our military back to where it needs to be to be a true global leader in defense and to fully rid the DoD from these woke ideologies.”

BACKGROUND:

The FY24 National Defense Authorization Act:

• Authorizes the DoD to provide grant funding to the state of Arkansas for increased on-site security and fire prevention services at the former Army-Navy Hospital in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
• Authorizes the procurement for CH-53 and CH-47 helicopters whose parts are manufactured in Magnolia and Hot Springs, AR, bolsters the modernization of our Nuclear Triad, adds additional F-35s, and facilitates manufacturing of guided multiple launch rocket systems (GMLRS), which all have a production footprint in Camden, AR.
• Funnels critical investments to the Fourth District and supports hundreds of jobs through investments in missile systems, aircraft, and explosive ordinances that proudly have manufacturing or assembly done in Arkansas’ Fourth District.
• Enhances U.S. military readiness and builds and maintains the overmatch needed to counter the aggression of foreign adversaries.
• Boosts servicemember pay and benefits and improves the quality of life for military families by supporting the largest pay raise in over 20 years.
• Prohibits the display of any unapproved flags, including the LGBTQ pride flag, at military institutions.
• Authorizes DoD to reduce out of pocket childcare expenses for military families.
• Improves military recruitment by increasing the number of JROTC programs, requires schools to allow military recruiters to participate in career fairs, and extends military recruitment bonuses.

The Former Army-Navy Hospital:

• The site of the former Army-Navy Hospital in Hot Springs, Arkansas, which sits atop the city’s downtown on National Park Service land, is rapidly falling into disrepair. The current major buildings, built by the U.S. Government in the early 1930s, once served as the first general hospital in the country to serve Army and Navy patients. The site was deeded by the Army to the State of Arkansas and became a state-run rehabilitation center in 1960; later being converted into the Arkansas Career Training Institute. In 2019, the State ceased all operations at the site, and since then, the site has been vacant. As many Hot Springs residents know, the buildings and surrounding grounds have been targets of vandalism and unauthorized access in recent years, leading to serious safety and fire concerns.
• Congressman Bruce Westerman worked closely with Senator John Boozman (R-AR), Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), and Congressman Steve Womack (AR-03) to ensure language (Section 2852) was included in the FY24 NDAA to give the DoD authority to provide grant funding to the state of Arkansas for increased security and fire prevention services at the site of the former Army-Navy Hospital.

Click here for a summary of the FY24 NDAA.

Click here for the full text of the FY24 NDAA.