Cole Applauds Bipartisan Passage of FY22 NDAA

Washington, D.C.- Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that reflects the bipartisan, bicameral agreement reached on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2022. The legislation authorizes funding for our nation's military personnel, readiness and operations, research, procurement and includes provisions that support the missions at Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City and Fort Sill in Lawton, which are both located in the Fourth District of Oklahoma. With Cole's support, the bill passed the House this evening by a vote of 363-70. Critical to achieving this bipartisan agreement between the House and the Senate was the inclusion of $25 billion more in authorized defense spending than requested in President Joe Biden's budget.

"Passage of this NDAA is a remarkable accomplishment and a reflection on what can be accomplished when members of Congress work across the aisle to pass meaningful legislation for the American people," said Cole. "Among many other things, this NDAA authorizes adequate funding to support our national defense needs, including providing a much-deserved 2.7 percent pay raise for our service members and civilian workforce, funding additional ships for the Navy and ensuring the warfighters of tomorrow have the weapons and assets they need to succeed on the battlefield.

"It also rightly provides much-needed oversight of President Joe Biden's disastrous withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan that resulted in the loss of 13 American service members and left our allies in the region vulnerable to the threat of terror. This bill ensures the American people will receive the answers they deserve about the decisions that were made.

"Although I am encouraged that both chambers of Congress are poised to advance the NDAA for the 61st consecutive year, President Biden and Democrats still support an effective cut in the current version of the annual defense appropriations bill. At a time when our adversaries around the world are becoming increasingly and alarmingly more aggressive, we must not only authorize the resources our military needs but enact the related funding to ensure the success of our military."

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