Sw Louisiana News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, released a statement on the passage of H.R. 8070, the House National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2025.

“The NDAA represents a major commitment to our Armed Forces and Louisiana. As a Congress, we have a responsibility to provide our service men and women with weapons and technology to address security threats. We are delivering an effective, lethal, deployable, and indomitable force. In Louisiana, we’re protecting our shipyards and strengthening the workforce by securing the procurement of several Navy vessels. We’re also making sure that Louisiana is leading in emerging technologies with autonomous systems. We will continue working to support America’s military and protect our national defense. Further, I worked closely with my colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee to earn bipartisan support for two of my NDAA amendments, Amendment 158 and Amendment 43. These amendments, debated on the House floor and ultimately passed, are now part of the NDAA.”

The bill makes key reforms to the Department of Defense and authorizes funding for programs and facilities in Louisiana, which includes:

- $12 million for the Navy’s 40-foot patrol boat program;

- $30 million for the Navy’s Yard, Repair, Berthing, Messing (YRBM) vessel program;

- Language prioritizing the Navy’s development of autonomous platforms for small unmanned surface vessels;

- $33 million for the Louisiana National Guard’s Lafayette Readiness Center;

- $22 million for barracks at Fort Johnson;

- $116 million for a new Joint Operations Center at Fort Johnson;

- $22 million for a child development center at Barksdale Air Force Base.

Congressman Higgins also worked with his colleagues to secure several conservative wins during the amendment process on the House Floor. This includes:

- Prohibiting the Department of Defense from contracting with shipyards controlled by a foreign adversary;

- Removing liberal ideology by eliminating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) positions in the Armed Forces;

- Ensuring that no federal tax dollars are used to fund abortion;

- Prohibiting the Department of Defense from working with companies that boycott Israel;

- Promoting merit-based promotions and ending affirmative action in our Armed forces;

- Requiring a strategy to rehire servicemembers let go for refusing to take a COVID-19 vaccine.