Massive US Defense Bill Gets ‘No’ Votes From 3 NJ Congress Members

NEW JERSEY — The House of Representatives gave a green light to a massive U.S. military spending bill on Thursday, getting support from nine of 12 Congress members in New Jersey.

The House voted to approve the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by a margin of 329-101. It saw strong support from both sides of the aisle, with 180 Democrats joining 149 Republicans to pass the bill.

The House version of the NDAA provides for nearly $839 billion in total defense spending for FY 2023, surpassing President Joe Biden's proposal of $813 billion.

In New Jersey, the NDAA got “yea” votes from Donald Norcross, Andy Kim, Chris Smith, Josh Gottheimer, Tom Malinowski, Albio Sires, Bill Pascrell Jr., Donald Payne Jr. and Mikie Sherrill.

There were three House members from the Garden State who voted no on the NDAA: Bonnie Watson Coleman and Frank Pallone, both Democrats, and Jeff Van Drew, a Republican.

Federal lawmakers hammer out a new version of the bill every year, establishing defense priorities and providing guidance on how military funding can be spent. Congress has passed the NDAA for nearly six consecutive decades, and typically sees support from all but a handful of dissenters in New Jersey each year.

The Senate still needs to pass its own version. The two chambers will then iron out the differences in the coming months, and send the final version to the desk of President Biden. Separate appropriations bills with matching dollar figures must also be passed for the increases to become a reality.

There have been both cheers and jeers for this year’s NDAA. Some say the bill strengthens national security, supports servicemembers and creates jobs. But critics question whether the rising military budget is a good use of taxpayer money at a time when every penny counts.

This year’s $839 billion NDAA – which only greenlights a single year of funding – is on par with some of the largest spending proposals in recent U.S. history. President Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which got a thumbs-up from every New Jersey Congress member, came to $1.2 trillion – and provides five years of funds for the nation’s roads, bridges and other crucial sites.

• See related article: Here's What NJ Will Get From $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill

‘A CRITICAL PIECE OF LEGISLATION’

Rep. Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) was one of the Congress members from New Jersey who cheered Thursday’s vote on the NDAA, saying that it would mean “the largest pay increase for our servicemembers in decades.”

Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot, is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, which voted to raise the topline of the spending plan by $37 billion in June.

“The U.S. military employs 1.3 million Americans, with nearly 10,000 in New Jersey, and the NDAA is a critical piece of legislation that translates into economic benefits across the country,” the congresswoman previously said.

• See related article: NJ Congresswoman Votes To Boost Military Spending For 2023

“The National Defense Authorization Act not only strengthens our national security and sets the priorities for our servicemembers, it invests in jobs, families, innovation, and modernization,” Sherrill said after Thursday’s vote.

That includes Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County, which brings “well over $1 billion” into the New Jersey economy every year, the congresswoman said.

Sherrill said the NDAA:

• “Has provisions to strengthen registered apprenticeships and workforce development”
• “Has measures to make child care more affordable for military families
• “Makes important progress to enhance America’s energy independence and reduce our reliance on foreign energy – including a provision that would direct the Defense Department to create a strategy to eliminate any reliance on Russian-produced energy”

Other support for the NDAA came from:

Rep. Donald Norcross (NJ-1) – “[Thursday’s] House passage of the NDAA proves our commitment to securing America’s defense by supporting the hardworking military families and workers who serve and protect our nation. This year’s defense bill includes bold initiatives to expand the talent pipeline and support capable and skilled military and civilian workers. My ‘Buy American’ provision will ensure we maintain the capacity to produce critical defense materials here at home and are shielded from disruptions to the global supply chain. I am glad to report that my amendment to secure a $15 hourly minimum wage for federal contractors passed with this bill, securing a fair salary floor for hundreds of thousands of American workers.”

Rep. Andy Kim (NJ-3) – “The last place partisan politics belongs is in our national security, and I'm proud to be working with colleagues in both parties towards achieving significant wins for our servicemembers, their families, New Jersey, and our economy. Our country’s budget should reflect our priorities as a nation. I’m glad that this bill prioritizes people– giving them a pay raise, lowering costs to better meet the childcare needs of our military families, expanding health benefits for our Guard and Reservists, and expanding workforce development and job training for the future. We are investing in the people who make our country strong and keep us safe. I look forward to continuing to work on this in a bipartisan way to deliver for servicemembers, their families, and our national security.”

Rep. Tom Malinowski (NJ-7) – “This year’s defense bill makes a strong commitment to democracy, global security, and our service members. From cracking down on foreign money laundering, to holding Putin’s cronies accountable for their violent attack on Ukraine, I am proud to have spearheaded measures that reflect our values at home and abroad.”

The annual military spending bill has also become a popular venue for lawmakers to tack on amendments, one of which will help to combat the “war on cash” taking place in retail stores and businesses across the nation, according to Rep. Donald Payne (NJ-10).

Payne said an amendment he sponsored – the Payment Choice Act – will “guarantee the right to pay in cash for all retail transactions under $2,000.”

“There are too many [businesses] that want to reject American currency in favor of digital payments,” the congressman said. “A few years ago, we were fighting over who should be represented on American paper bills. Now, it seems companies want to eliminate them completely.”

‘A TRILLION-DOLLAR DEFENSE BUDGET’

Other New Jersey lawmakers have put their foot down this year when it comes to raising the U.S. military budget, though.

“The $839 billion included in this year’s NDAA is not only an increase over our already bloated defense budget, it was more than even the Biden Administration requested,” a spokesperson for Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman told Patch.

“A defense budget that large is a policy failure when families in this country struggle to put food on the table,” the spokesperson added.

• See related article: 2 Of 5 NJ Kids Live In Financially Struggling Households, Report Says
• See related article: NJ Has 1.5 Million People Living In 'Food Deserts'

“I support a robust defense budget that keeps us safe here at home, is strongly aligned with our allies abroad, and above all else, lives up to our commitment to servicemembers, veterans and their families,” Pallone told Patch.

“Unfortunately, the bill we voted on included $37 billion in additional spending that the Pentagon did not even request in the first place,” he continued. “We can and must invest in our national security while placing sensible limits on runaway defense spending that only benefits big contractors.”

It’s a concern that some members of the House Armed Services Committee also shared during last month’s markup of the bill.

When the committee voted to raise the topline by tens of millions of dollars, Rep. Adam Smith of Washington protested that “more money isn't necessarily the answer.”

“President Biden's budget request will meet our country's defense challenges, and the Department of Defense does not need more than it asked for,” Smith insisted. “I have always believed that the department needs more discipline – not more money.”

Rep. Ro Khanna of California also questioned rising military spending in the United States. Khanna wrote:

"Part of me wonders when we are just going to get the amendment to have a trillion-dollar defense budget because it seems that's where we are going. I mean, every year they are basically adding $30 billion more to what the president wants, and I think that's what we really need to think of on this committee. If you're supporting this amendment, you're basically paving the way to a trillion-dollar defense. Is that what we want in this country? A trillion dollars more? More than a half of our discretionary budget is going into defense compared to all of the other needs, the security needs that this country has."

"I just want to be clear – there is no country in the world that is putting over half its discretionary budget into defense," Khanna added.

• See related article: Protesters Rally In New Jersey: 'End Wars, Cut Military Budget'

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