Politics & Government
Mikie Sherrill Of NJ Votes For $883 Billion Military Spending Bill
Some say the nation's massive military spending levels are crucial to national security. Critics say the money is better spent elsewhere.
NEW JERSEY — A massive federal military spending bill is chugging along in Congress, getting support from a New Jersey lawmaker in a key committee vote last week.
U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) was among the House Armed Services Committee members who voted in support of a markup for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which currently sits at a whopping $883 billion for the 2025 fiscal year.
Congress rolls out a new NDAA bill each year to establish defense priorities, make organizational shifts to military posture, and provide direction on how military funding can be spent. The “must pass” legislation typically sees several changes and amendments before a final version is agreed upon by the Senate and House of Representatives. Separate appropriations bills with matching dollar figures must also be passed for the increases to become a reality.
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Some say the NDAA strengthens national security, supports servicemembers and creates jobs. But others question whether the nation’s sky-high military budget is a good use of taxpayer money at a time when many people are struggling to afford health care, groceries, utilities and other essentials.
Congress has greenlighted the bill every year for more than six consecutive decades. As part of the process, House and Senate committees perform a “markup” of the bill every year. Sherrill also voted in favor of the bill during last year’s markup. See Related: NJ Congresswoman Votes Yes On Military Spending Bill
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The 2025 bill would increase military basic pay by 4.5 percent for service members, among other clauses. It would also increase pay for the junior-most service members – many of whom currently struggle with “food insecurity” – by 15 percent.
The House committee – including Sherrill – voted 57-1 in favor of the NDAA at last Wednesday’s markup. The spending plan will now head to the full House for a vote.
Rep. Ro Khanna of California was the only committee member to vote “no” on the legislation. Khanna has been critical of the nation’s rising military spending, saying that there is too much “wasteful spending” at the Pentagon.
“I was the lone no vote on the NDAA out of the House Armed Services Committee because I believe we should use this money to invest in a modern national security strategy that will actually keep us safe and domestic priorities instead of further enriching defense contractors,” Khanna said after this year’s committee markup.
In contrast, this year’s NDAA got a big thumbs-up from Sherrill, a former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot who said it has some major funding for the Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County, which is northern New Jersey’s largest employer.
Sherrill said she secured nearly $46 million in additional funds for Picatinny Arsenal programs as part of this year’s markup, including money that will pay for:
- Assured Precision Weapons and Munitions
- Gun-Based Counter Drone Systems
- Autonomous Armaments Technology for Unmanned Systems
- Overmatching the Speed of Battle
- Advanced Manufacturing of Energetics Materials
- Manufacturing for Novel Lightweight Transparent Film Armors
The congresswoman also secured a bipartisan amendment to ensure that military service members can access a full year’s prescription of contraceptives, she reported.
“As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, one of my chief responsibilities is to craft national defense legislation that strengthens our fighting forces across the globe, bolsters the New Jersey economy by investing in Picatinny Arsenal, and improves the quality of life for service members, veterans and their families,” Sherrill said.
“I also included amendments to strengthen New Jersey’s workforce by expanding apprenticeship and educational opportunities for service members, cut through red tape to improve research and treatment specific to women’s health, and hold the Department of Defense accountable for its use of dangerous PFAS chemicals,” the congresswoman added.
The 11th District includes the following municipalities:
- Essex County – Belleville, Bloomfield, Cedar Grove, Fairfield, Glen Ridge, Livingston, Maplewood, Millburn, Montclair (part), North Caldwell, Nutley, Roseland, South Orange, West Caldwell
- Morris County – Boonton, Boonton Township, Butler, Chatham, Chatham Township, Denville, Dover, East Hanover, Florham Park, Hanover, Harding, Jefferson, Kinnelon, Lincoln Park, Madison, Mendham Twp (part), Montville, Morris Plains, Morris Township, Morristown Town, Mountain Lakes, Parsippany-Troy Hills, Pequannock, Randolph, Riverdale, Rockaway, Rockaway Township, Victory Gardens
- Passaic County – Little Falls, Totowa, Wayne (part), Woodland Park
LOOKING BACK AT LAST YEAR
In New Jersey, last year’s NDAA got “yes” votes from eight of 12 House members in New Jersey: Donald Norcross, Andy Kim, Josh Gottheimer, Tom Kean Jr., Robert Menendez Jr., Frank Pallone, Bill Pascrell Jr. and Mikie Sherrill. It got “no” votes from Donald Payne Jr., Chris Smith, Jeff Van Drew and Bonnie Watson Coleman.
The Senate passed its own version of the 2024 spending bill, getting a “yes” vote from Sen. Robert Menendez and a “no” vote from Sen. Cory Booker.
Watson Coleman said she voted no on last year’s bill because it represented “yet another year of wasteful, irresponsible, unaccountable Defense spending.”
“$886 billion dollars could go a long way toward improving the lives of everyday working people,” the congresswoman wrote. “The people's basic needs must come first.”
MILITARY SPENDING IN NEW JERSEY
A state-by-state analysis of U.S. Department of Defense spending done in 2020 showed that it spent about $593.9 billion on contracts and payroll alone. Roughly $8.4 billion of that was spent in New Jersey – about $948 per person.
The state’s top defense contract spending locations were:
- Burlington County - $2.6 billion
- Morris County - $820.5 million
- Essex County - $620.8 million
- Passaic County - $446 million
- Camden County - $416.4 million
- Monmouth County - $400.4 million
- Bergen County - $159.1 million
- Union County - $154.7 million
- Middlesex County - $153 million
- Somerset County - $137.7 million
The state’s top defense personnel spending locations were:
- Burlington County - $872.1 million
- Morris County - $531.8 million
- Ocean County - $268.9 million
- Monmouth County - $78.3 million
- Atlantic County - $57.7 million
- Camden County - $21.9 million
- Bergen County - $19.9 million
- Mercer County - $18.9 million
- Hudson County - $17.4 million
- Middlesex County - $14.6 million
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