WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) on Wednesday released the following statement after the House passage of the FY2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA): 

“As a 20-year Navy veteran, I am proud to support this year’s NDAA. This funding package bolsters our ability to counter adversaries such as China and Russia, rescinds the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for servicemembers, grants a pay raise to our troops, and includes provisions to improve the quality of life and well-being of our military personnel and their families,” said Congressman Gonzales. “To address the ongoing national security threat at our southern border, this package also provides our Border Patrol agents with much-needed technology and life-saving training to prevent secondary exposure to deadly fentanyl. I will always support the men and women bravely defending our nation.”

The NDAA contains new funding authorizations for TX-23 totaling $108 million:

• $29 Million for Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA)-Randolph Child Development Center
• $5.4 Million for completing BMT Dormitory at JBSA-Lackland
• $58.6 Million for JBSA Ambulatory Care Center Replacement (Dental)
• $15 Million for Fort Bliss Fire Station
• Flood Risk management project for economically disadvantaged communities in El Paso County
• Extension of 2018 Project Authorizations
  •  JBSA BMT Classrooms/Dining Facility
  •  JBSA Camp Bullis Dining Facility

It includes the following provisions to combat the border crisis:  

• Requires the President to submit a report on past and current bilateral security and law enforcement cooperation with Mexico; a summary of Mexico’s efforts to strengthen judicial processes for cartel-related crimes; cartel control of Mexican territory and its impact on U.S. national security 
• Requires the Director of National Intelligence to report to Congress on how mass migration at the southern border poses a threat to national security; the threat of Latin American and Caribbean regimes using mass migration as a way to collect greater remittances and impose instability at the U.S. southern border 

• Requires training for Customs and Border Protection agents on the use of containment devices to prevent secondary exposure to fentanyl and other lethal substances 
• Authorizes $2 million for Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security to develop and execute a plan to counter illicit cross-border tunnel operations 
• Establishes a program to measure how successful, the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Customs and Border Protection technologies and strategies are for detecting trafficked fentanyl and precursor chemicals at ports of entry 
• Establishes a centralized data-sharing capability between Customs and Border Protection technologies and the Coast Guard 

It also includes the following provisions to strengthen our national defense and benefit our men and women in uniform:

• Authorizes funding to support a 4.6% pay raise for military servicemembers and the Department of Defense civilian workforce 
• Increases maximum amounts for bonus and special pay authorities for servicemembers in certain critical-skill positions 
• Expands the scope of financial reimbursement related to spouse relicensing and business costs arising from a permanent change of station 
• Initiates a pilot program to reimburse military families for certain childcare costs related to a permanent change of station 
• Ensures servicemembers have access to quality housing, including by: extending the authority to adjust the basic allowance for housing in high-cost areas 
• Requires a briefing on the feasibility and advisability of implementing certain reforms related to suicide prevention among members of the Armed Forces 
• Requires establishment of a comprehensive initiative for brain health, the Warfighter Brain Health Initiative, to improve cognitive performance and brain health of servicemembers 
• Makes improvements relating to behavioral health care in the military health system