CONGRESSMAN GONZALEZ VOTES FOR DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT TO SUPPORT SERVICE MEMBERS AND MILITARY FAMILIES, AND STRENGTHEN NATIONAL SECURITY 

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) voted in support of H.R. 7900, the Fiscal Year 2023National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), bipartisan legislation that gives service members and civilian personnel a raise, invests in future capabilities, and bolsters national security while making quality of life improvements for military families.

"As the son of a veteran, I am proud to vote for this vital piece of legislation that honors our promise to support service members and their families", stated Congressman Gonzalez. "I will never stop fighting to assure members of our Armed Forces have the resources and strategic investments they need to protect American interests at home and abroad."

Among the over 600 bipartisan amendments, Congressman Gonzalez successfully introduced and passed an amendment requiring the Department of Defense to report on the citizenship status of service members, a first step to ending the deportation of veterans and eventually repatriating them.

The NDAA authorizes $839.9 billion for defense programs at the Pentagon, Department of Energy, and other federal agencies as well as a 4.6% pay raise for service members for fiscal year 2023. This version of the NDAA allocates $37 billion more than the White House had originally asked for and addresses inflation, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the influence of China in the Pacific.

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