Ricketts Supports Defense Budget that Will Keep America Safe, Prioritize Military Readiness

July 27, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), the Ranking Member of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, voted for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. The bill, passed by a vote of 86-11, lays out spending priorities for the Department of Defense (DOD) and a number of non-defense authorizations, including the State Department.

“At a time of growing threats from adversaries like the People’s Republic of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, this defense bill focuses on deterring aggression and keeping Americans safe,” said Senator Ricketts. “I was proud to vote to give our troops a well-deserved pay raise, reject Biden’s reckless plan to shrink our Navy, modernize our nuclear deterrent, and ensure oversight of our aid to Ukraine. This bill also directs the president to prevent adversaries from purchasing U.S. farmland and demands the Pentagon focus on readiness instead of letting bureaucrats push divisive Critical Race Theory and DEI practices on our ranks.

“I am also grateful the bill includes Senator Lankford and my amendments to improve customer service and transparency in the Biden administration’s backlogged passport office,” Ricketts added.

The NDAA includes many legislative efforts supported by Ricketts. The bill:

Supports $886 billion in FY 2024 funding for our national security
Secures a 5.2% pay raise for servicemembers
Establishes a new U.S. training program for the military forces in Taiwan
Expands the Pacific Deterrence Initiative to enhance U.S. basing and logistics in the Western Pacific
Requires a full public accounting of CCP military spending to ensure the rest of the world understands the Chinese Communist Party’s global military goals
Restricts the DOD from supporting Hollywood film projects that have ties to the CCP
Encourages development of new homeland air defense protocols to avoid future violations of U.S. airspace
Fully funds the European Deterrence Initiative to boost the military readiness of European allies and deter Russian aggression
Fully funds and extends the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) through fiscal year 2027
Includes the FINISH IT Act to ensure border wall panels already owned by the U.S. government are used or transferred to state governments for use in building the border wall
Directs DOD to develop a strategy for countering fentanyl trafficking, and imposes sanctions on transnational criminal organizations, including drug cartels, and others who traffic illicit fentanyl and its precursors
Includes the Merit Act to replace all DOD “equity” programming with initiatives focused on equal opportunity, including at service academies
Freezes DEI hiring until a full accounting of all DOD DEI programming and costs are completed

There are a number of Nebraska-specific wins. The bill:

Authorizes critical funding for the 55th Wing and 557th Weather Wing at Offutt AFB
Authorizes increased funding for the Sentinel ICBM weapon system and provides the program with multiyear procurement authority to stabilize supply chains and increase program efficiency
Supports requested funding for military construction projects at Offutt AFB and various Nebraska National Guard sites throughout the state
Authorizes additional resources for STRATCOM’s Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) modernization
Authorizes full funding for the recapitalization and modernization of our nuclear triad

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