Funding Our National Security

Dear Friend,

Providing the authorities and resources our warfighters need to defend our nation and defeat ever-evolving global threats is the greatest responsibility I have here in Congress.

Last Thursday, the House passed the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023, which I was proud to support. This legislation authorizes $857.9 billion in defense spending for the next fiscal year – $45 billion more than the Biden Administration requested. The NDAA makes critical investments that strengthen our communities and support the brave men and women fighting to preserve our freedoms.

As threats from our adversaries in places like China, Russia, Iran and North Korea continue to develop, the NDAA hardens our industrial base and ensures that our modern American warfighters are the best equipped and trained in the world. This year’s NDAA had a heavy focus on deterring aggression from the Chinese Communist Party, and authorizes over $11 billion for training and operations, will expedite construction of defense infrastructure, and provides for the timely deployment of weapons systems throughout the Indo-Pacific.

Investments in emerging technologies like hypersonic weapons and autonomous systems, expanded training availabilities for servicemembers, and improved safety for ships, aircrafts, combat vehicles, and facilities were just some of the many vitally important provisions in the bill. The NDAA also secured additional funding for the procurement of the F-35 tactical fighter aircraft, which is partially produced right here in Georgia!

After our Republican Conference fought hard, we proudly rescinded Biden’s big government COVID-19 vaccine mandate in this legislation – a policy that needlessly forced out thousands of talented and experienced servicemembers and only damaged military readiness.

Along with giving our servicemembers a 4.6% pay raise, the bill allots $500 million for additional housing allowances to counteract the skyrocketing cost of rent on military spouses and families – and requires reporting on a more transparent, fair, and flexible way to calculate the basic allowance for housing. The NDAA also reinforces parental rights for children attending Department of Defense schools by reaffirming their right to review curriculum, instructional materials, and disciplinary policies. Additionally, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022 was included in the overall bill. For Georgia, WRDA passage secured funding for flood control projects and other water related infrastructure improvements that will positively impact the state.

I was glad to see Congress come together in a bipartisan way to overwhelmingly support this measure and I look forward to seeing it signed into law in the near future.

Committee Update

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) – the historic trade deal that entered into force on July 1, 2020 – leveled global markets for American agriculture. The USMCA opened new markets for the United States to sell more American products abroad, and once again made America the most competitive place in the world to do business.

Recently, Mexico failed to maintain a regulatory requirement of the trade agreement, which could disrupt food supply chains and negatively impact American farmers if left unaddressed. We must send the right message to enforce our trade agreement with Mexico. I joined my Ways and Means colleagues in a letter to Ambassador Katherine Tai – the United State Trade Representative – calling for her immediate action:

The Week Ahead

This week, the House will consider the following pieces of legislation:

Senate Amendment to H.R. 7077 - Empowering the U.S. Fire Administration Act

S. 558 - FLOODS Act

H.R. 8665 - National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Modernization Act

Senate Amendment to H.R. 7535 - Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act

H.R. 5349 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1550 State Road S–38–211 in Orangeburg, South Carolina, as the "J.I. Washington Post Office Building"

H.R. 5949 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 615 North Bush Street, in Santa Ana, California, as the ‘‘Judge James Perez Post Office’’

H.R. 6725 - To change the address of the Marilyn Monroe Post Office, and for other purposes

H.R. 7832 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 396 South California Avenue in West Covina, California, as the "Esteban E. Torres Post Office Building”

H.R. 7873 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 400 Southern Avenue Southeast in Washington, District of Columbia, as the "District of Columbia Servicemembers and Veterans Post Office"

H.R. 7988 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 79125 Corporate Centre Drive in La Quinta, California, as the "Corporal Hunter Lopez Memorial Post Office Building"

H.R. 7519 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2050 South Boulevard in Bloomfield Township, Michigan, as the "Dr. Ezra S. Parke Post Office Building"

H.R. 8026 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 825 West 65th Street in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as the "Charles W. Lindberg Post Office"

H.R. 8226 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 236 Concord Exchange North in South Saint Paul, Minnesota, as the "Officer Leo Pavlak Post Office Building"

H.R. 9074 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 333 North Sunrise Way in Palm Springs, California, as the "Chairman Richard Milanovich Post Office"

H.R. 8622 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 123 South 3rd Street in King City, California, as the "Chief Rudy Banuelos Post Office"

H.R. 7082 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2200 North George Mason Drive in Arlington, Virginia, as the "Jesus Antonio Collazos Post Office Building"

H.R. 7638 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6000 South Florida Avenue in Lakeland, Florida, as the "U.S. Marine Corporal Ronald R. Payne Jr. Post Office"

H.R. 6042 - A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 213 William Hilton Parkway in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, as the "Caesar H. Wright Jr. Post Office Building", as amended

H.R. 7514 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 345 South Main Street in Butler, Pennsylvania, as the "Andrew Gomer Williams Post Office Building"

H.R. 6630 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1400 N Kraemer Blvd. in Placentia, California, as the "PFC Jang Ho Kim Post Office Building"

H.R. 6218 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 317 Blattner Drive in Avon, Minnesota, as the "W.O.C. Kort Miller Plantenberg Post Office"

H.R. 6220 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 100 3rd Avenue Northwest in Perham, Minnesota, as the "Charles P. Nord Post Office"

H.R. 6221 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 155 Main Avenue West in Winsted, Minnesota, as the "James A. Rogers Jr. Post Office"

H.R. 6611 - To authorize the Embassy of France in Washington, DC, to establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs to honor the extraordinary contributions of Jean Monnet to restoring peace between European nations and establishing the European Union, and for other purposes

S. 314 - Klamath Tribe Judgment Fund Repeal Act

S. 789 - RESPECT Act

S. 1466 - Saline Lake Ecosystems in the Great Basin States Program Act of 2021

H.R. 2551 - Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act

H.R. 5715 - To reauthorize the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Trust Fund, and for other purposes

H.R. 6427 - Red River National Wildlife Refuge Boundary Modification Act, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Mike Johnson / Natural Resources Committee)

H.R. 7496 - To direct the Secretary of the Interior to install a plaque at the peak of Ram Head in the Virgin Islands National Park on St. John, United States Virgin Islands, to commemorate the slave rebellion that began on St. John in 1733

H.R. 7952 - Valley Forge Park Realignment Permit and Promise Act

H.Res. 1156 - Expressing the commitment of the House of Representatives to building on the twenty years of success of the George McGovern-Robert Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program

S. 5060 - Paul D. Wellstone Building Act of 2022

S. 4017 - A bill to designate the United States courthouse located at 111 South Highland Avenue in Jackson, Tennessee, as the "James D. Todd United States Courthouse", and for other purposes

H.R. 1082 - Sami’s Law

S. 7 - VAWA Technical Amendment Act of 2022

S. 2991 - Countering Human Trafficking Act of 2022

S. 5229 - A bill to direct the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library to remove the bust of Roger Brooke Taney in the Old Supreme Court Chamber of the Capitol and to obtain a bust of Thurgood Marshall for installation in the Capitol or on the Capitol grounds, and for other purposes

H.R. 3648 - Eagle Act of 2022

S. 3905 - Preventing Organizational Conflicts of Interest in Federal Acquisition Act

S. 4003 - Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act of 2022

Possible Consideration of H.R. 1948 - VA Employee Fairness Act of 2021

Consideration of Legislation Providing Further Funding for FY23

Additional Legislative Items Are Possible

As always, I’m here to serve you. Please contact my office with any questions, comments, or concerns. Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube to keep track of upcoming legislation and events!

Sincerely,

Drew Ferguson
Member of Congress