Fred Keller

09/23/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/23/2021 19:58

Congressman Fred Keller votes to raise troops’ pay, fully fund national defense

September 23, 2021
Press Release
Two Keller amendments included in FY21 NDAA
Washington, D.C. - Today,Congressman Fred Keller (PA-12) voted in support of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022.

Final passage of the bill included two of Congressman Keller's amendments. The first amendment bolsters domestic manufacturing of critical defense materials. The second amendment works to hold the Executive Branch accountable when spending taxpayer dollars by reducing duplicative IT contracts in the Department of Defense.

Congressman Keller also offered a third amendment that would improve the National Personnel Records Center's (NPRC) ability to process veterans' service records. This amendment was struck down.

On the passage of the NDAA, Congressman Fred Keller made the following statement:

"I applaud the proactive measures outlined in this year's NDAA which prioritize the needs of our troops and America's national security, now and in the future. On top of fully funding our national defense for the next year and securing a well-deserved pay raise for our men and women in uniform, I am proud that our team was able to amend the legislation to ensure that America's defenses are enhanced by America's manufacturers and that there is proper oversight of the use of taxpayer dollars in defense of the homeland."

The National Defense Authorization Act authorizes $778 billion in FY 2022 for critical defense initiatives including:

  • $166.8 billion for military personnel
  • $118 billion for research and development
  • $28.2 billion for nuclear weapons programs
  • $250 million for counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan