4 NJ Lawmakers Vote Against Record-High US Military Spending Bill

NEW JERSEY — A record-high military spending bill got an overwhelming green light from the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, picking up two-to-one approval from New Jersey’s Congress members along the way.

The House vote for the compromise version of National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) came in at 350-80. The bill will now head to the U.S. Senate, and possibly to President Joe Biden’s desk.

The fiscal year 2023 NDAA authorizes an $858 billion topline for the nation’s military and defense spending, a record-high that is $45 billion above what Biden previously proposed. It marks a $90 billion increase in military spending from last year.

In New Jersey, the NDAA got “yea” votes on Thursday from Democratic Party members Donald Norcross, Andy Kim, Josh Gottheimer, Tom Malinowski, Albio Sires, Bill Pascrell Jr. and Mikie Sherrill. It also got a yes vote from Chris Smith, a Republican.

The NDAA got “nay” votes from Frank Pallone, Donald Payne Jr. and Bonnie Watson Coleman, all Democrats, and Jeff Van Drew, a Republican.

Federal lawmakers hammer out a new version of the NDAA every year, which lays out defense priorities and provides guidance on how military funding can be spent. It 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.

Congress has greenlighted the bill every year for more than six consecutive decades, and it typically sees support from all but a handful of dissenters in New Jersey.

The current version of the NDAA picked up an additional “no” vote in the Garden State from a previous House version passed in July. It includes funds for new weapons, ships and aircraft, and has a 4.6 pay increase for troops. It also includes military aid for Ukraine and Taiwan.

Bob Menendez of New Jersey – who is among the U.S. senators now gearing up for a vote in that chamber – has called for $10 billion in aid for Taiwan over the next five years. Read More: Sen. Menendez Wants $10B For Taiwan Defense In US Military Budget

Since it is considered a “must-pass” bill, the NDAA has become a popular venue to attach riders and amendments, not all of which are directly related to national defense. This year’s NDAA contains a provision that would roll back the U.S. military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for servicemembers.

A spokesperson for Rep. Payne – who voted in favor of a previous version of the NDAA earlier this year – said that the congressman voted against the current proposal because it “didn’t include a separate bill to enhance the 1965 Voting Rights Act and protect the vote for all Americans.”

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus had sought to force action on a separate bill to enhance the 1965 Voting Rights Act by including it in a procedural package with the NDAA.

Meanwhile, Rep. Van Drew told Patch that he is "fully in support of funding and supporting our military," however, this year’s NDAA was "loaded with Democrat wishlist items that had nothing to do with bolstering our defense or modernizing our military capabilities."

"Instead, they made sure to not reinstate or compensate fired troops who did not receive the COVID-19 vaccine and are funneling almost a billion of taxpayer dollars to Ukraine,” Van Drew said.

US MILITARY SPENDING: CHEERS AND JEERS

There have been both cheers and jeers for the current levels of military spending from New Jersey lawmakers.

Some say the NDAA strengthens national security, supports servicemembers and creates jobs. But critics question whether the nation’s rising military budget is a good use of taxpayer money at a time when every penny counts.

Rep. Sherrill was among those who cheered Thursday’s vote.

“Today, I joined my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to pass the NDAA, a bill that will deliver a stronger national defense and support our men and women in uniform,” said Sherrill, a former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot who serves on the House Armed Services Committee.

“This defense legislation brings our hard-earned tax dollars back to the district to provide robust investments in Picatinny Arsenal, which will not only make our military more effective and innovative, but will also bring more highly paid jobs into North Jersey,” the congresswoman said.

Picatinny Arsenal is the 11th District's largest employer and contributes more than $1 billion to New Jersey's economy, Sherrill pointed out.

Meanwhile, Rep. Smith said the NDAA contains a provision he authored that would “improve medical care and oversight for rigorous military training programs.” The congressman said the measure – the “Kyle Mullen Naval Safety Enhancements” – was named for a 24-year-old Navy SEAL candidate from Manalapan who passed away after the notorious “Hell Week” training. Read More: NJ Mom Questions 'Hell Week' SEAL Training After Son's Death

Other support came from:

Rep. Norcross – “Today, I voted to strengthen America’s defense by supporting the hardworking servicemembers who serve and protect our nation. The bill includes the critical funding for Humvee safety that I championed for months, helping to ensure that the vehicles used by our troops do not put them at undue risk of harm. It also includes provisions I wrote to prioritize access to mental health services for our men and women in uniform because I firmly believe we must take care of those to take care of us. Additionally, the bill contains investments in research and development efforts back in South Jersey that are critical to our national defense and regional economy. I thank my House colleagues for this bipartisan effort to defend our vital national interests. Safeguarding our national security will always be one of my top priorities in Congress.”

Rep. Kim – “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," said Congressman Kim. "Our country’s budget should reflect our priorities as a nation. I’m glad that this bill prioritizes people – giving them a deserved pay raise, lowering costs to better meet the childcare needs of our military families, improved health benefits for our Guard and Reservists, and expanding workforce development and job training for the future. I’m also proud to have secured the KC-46 Pegasus mission’s presence here in New Jersey that will provide new, exciting opportunities for our Guardsmen and women. This mission will help bolster communities around the joint base and anchor the base right here in New Jersey for decades to come. I’m proud of this country’s investment in the people who make our country strong and keep us safe every single day.”

But other federal lawmakers from New Jersey have said the nation’s military spending is getting out of hand.

“A defense budget that large is a policy failure when families in this country struggle to put food on the table,” a spokesperson for Rep. Watson Coleman told Patch after a previous vote on the NDAA in July.

Rep. Pallone said he supports 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."

"Unfortunately, the bill we voted on included $45 billion in additional spending that the Pentagon did not even request in the first place," Pallone told Patch on Friday. "We can and must invest in our national security while placing sensible limits on defense spending."

Some of their peers in the House of Representatives have agreed.

After Thursday’s vote in the House, Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan said the NDAA is “excessive” and “supports war and profit-driven defense contractors.”

“I voted against the $858 billion so-called defense budget, the largest ever in the history of our country, while the needs of working families are neglected here at home,” Tlaib said. “It’s outrageous that every year, we spend more on our military, weapons and war than the next nine countries combined, including China, India, Russia, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Germany, France, Japan, and South Korea.”

“There are currently 40 million people across our country living in poverty,” Tlaib continued. “This wasteful Pentagon budget will line the pockets of military contractors at the expense of our communities here at home. It is impossible to justify when our neighbors are struggling to put food on the table, fighting to keep a roof over their heads, and rationing their medication.”

• See related article: $35 Cap On Insulin? Only 1 NJ House Member Votes Against Bill

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. Roughly $8.4 billion of that was spent in New Jersey – about $948 per person.

Send news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.