O’Halleran Statement on NDAA Passage, Debt Limit Lift

WASHINGTON - Tonight, Congressman Tom O'Halleran (AZ-01) voted to pass the Senate-passed Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Earlier his fall, O'Halleran voted to pass the House version of the FY22 NDAA.

"Tonight, I was proud to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that our brave servicemembers and our military operations, at home and abroad, have the full resources and funding they need to carry out their missions," said O'Halleran. "Providing the targeted support that those who serve selflessly need to succeed is one of the utmost important duties of our Congress-one that must be taken seriously each and every year."

The O'Halleran-backed legislation keeps most of the previously House-passed version intact, supporting a 2.7 percent increase in military basic pay, taking long-overdue, concrete steps to address sexual assault in the military, and providing new support for military families.

"While I was disappointed that the Grand Canyon Protection Act has again been scrubbed from the Senate's version of our annual defense spending bill, I am glad to see a recognized sense of Congress regarding compensation of individuals relating to uranium mining and nuclear testing-a generations-long problem for tribal families in Arizona's First District-as well as legislation I have championed with my Arizona delegation colleagues to protect the A-10 warthog," continued O'Halleran.

Additionally, within tonight's votes was a new suspension of the debt limit, preventing an unnecessary fiscal crisis that would send the U.S. economy into a tailspin.

"Politics should play no part in our actions to secure our nation's full faith and credit," said O'Halleran of the measure. "I urge the Senate to raise the debt limit and prevent economic catastrophe without delay."

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