House passes bill containing Kiggans’ priorities

WASHINGTON, DC:  Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) released the below statement following the passage of H.R. 8070 the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), FY25, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 217-199. The legislation authorizes critical U.S. defense systems, counters China’s growing aggression, modernizes our fighting force, and invests a historic $5 billion in quality of life improvements for servicemembers.

“As a former Navy helicopter pilot, Navy spouse, and now Navy mom, I am proud to support our men and women in uniform and be their voice in Congress,” said Congresswoman Kiggans. “This commonsense legislation authorizes crucial defense programs and significantly enhances our servicemembers’ quality of life through housing, healthcare, and childcare improvements. It’s also a game-changer when it comes to compensation, boosting pay for our junior enlisted members by 19.5% while also providing a FY25 4.5% pay increase across all services.

“At a time when our nation is facing complex threats across the globe, this bill ensures we are both supporting our military community here at home and giving our warfighters the capabilities they need to succeed in any future conflict. Importantly, this legislation authorizes $806.8 million for 14 military construction projects in Virginia, including $54.8 million for military construction projects in Hampton Roads. It also provides an additional $1 billion to maintain the supply chain for a 2^nd Virginia Class submarine, which is critical to restoring American deterrence.

“I look forward to working with our colleagues in the Senate to get this bill across the finish line so we can stay ahead of our adversaries and prioritize the service members and their families who sacrifice so much to protect our great country.”