Vice-Chair Luria Secures $23.9 Billion Increase In Defense Spending

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Vice-Chair Elaine Luria joined with Republicans to secure a $23.9 billion increase to the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

“The President’s defense budget fails to adequately address the rising threats of China, Iran, and Russia and I will not hesitate to break with my party if it’s in the best interest of our national security and the local economy of Hampton Roads,” Vice-Chair Luria said. “This additional $23.9 billion, a three percent increase over the President’s budget, with significant investments for our public and private shipyards and our industrial base, means more jobs in Hampton Roads and security abroad.”

You can watch Vice-Chair Luria’s remarks in support of the amendment here.

The amendment raises the budget topline to $741 billion from $716 billion, with an additional $4.7 billion for shipbuilding and seapower priorities. All told, this year’s NDAA protecting three (3) guided missile cruisers from decommissioning, advanced procurement to ramp up production of Virginia class submarines to three per year, and purchasing three (3) Arleigh Burke-class destroyers (DDG-51), one (1) America-class amphibious assault ship (LHA), one (1) Constellation-class guided missile Frigate (FFG), one (1) Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) and other support ships.

Vice-Chair Luria has been a vocal critic of President Biden’s budget, routinely pressing Pentagon leaders on the decision to decommission 15 ships that would shrink America’s Naval fleet in the face of a growing Chinese Navy, while prioritizing investments in an unproven technology that will not be realized for years.

The amendment passed on a bipartisan vote of 42-17.

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Wayne Creed

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