Senate passes defense spending bill with money for Redstone, prohibits SPACECOM construction

WASHINGTON – The Senate-passed National Defense Authorization Act is providing funding for military installations in the state while also freezes funding for U.S. Space Command construction in Colorado.

The legislation passed 87 to 13. The House is expected to pass it this week, sending it to the White House where President Joe Biden is expected to sign it into law.

The bipartisan defense policy bill authorized a record $886 billion in annual military spending including a 5.2% pay raise for troops and measures to help Ukraine and pushback against China.

U.S. Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) and Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) voted for the package.

“This legislation includes a 5.2 percent pay raise for our troops, forces the Biden Administration to resume construction of the wall at our southern border, and ensures that all future military promotions are solely based on an individual’s performance and merit,” said Britt. “Thanks to the hard work of our Alabama delegation, this bill also completely freezes any funding that would be used to build or renovate a Space Command headquarters in Colorado until a full audit of the Biden Administration’s politically motivated, reckless basing decision is complete and publicized.

“In addition, this NDAA authorizes more than $316 million for improvements to Alabama’s military bases and National Guard facilities. This is imperative to our state’s ability to continue strengthening our national defense long into the future, and it supports tens of thousands of good-paying jobs in communities across Alabama.”

Tuberville, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said although the bill didn’t have everything he was hoping for, he voted for it.

“I voted for this year’s defense bill for two reasons: because it’s good for Alabama and it’s good for our national security,” he said. “This bill could have been a lot stronger, but Chuck Schumer rigged the negotiation process to prevent conservatives from getting key wins on issues like taxpayer-funded abortion and DEI. We didn’t get everything we wanted this time, but we got a lot.

“And my fellow conservatives in Alabama and across America can be sure that I’m determined to get the rest of it in next year’s bill.”

Along with the 5.2% pay raise for the more than 37,000 active-duty service members in Alabama, the bill authorizes $316.6 million in Military Construction Projects, including:

• $68 million for a Ground Test Facility on Redstone Arsenal
• $65 million for Military Family Housing at Maxwell Air Force Base
• $57 million for a new Army Reserve Center in Birmingham
• $41.2 million for new barracks at Fort Novosel

“I thank my colleagues on both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, particularly Chairman Mike Rogers, for their work to ensure that Congress was able to pass this critical legislation to support our military here at home and around the world,” Britt said.