NDAA Advances Out of SASC with Senator Cramer’s Support, Significant Wins for North Dakota and the Nation

***Click here to download video. Click here for audio.***

BISMARCK – The Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) held a full committee markup last week for the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). By a vote of 22-3, the Committee advanced the legislation on Thursday and it will now head to the Senate floor for consideration.

Each year, Congress passes the NDAA to authorize appropriations for defense-related activities and establish policies and initiatives to support American warfighters and servicemembers. It is one of the only bills passed on an annual basis through bipartisan regular order. U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) is the first North Dakota Senator to serve on SASC.

The FY25 NDAA supports a total of $923.3 billion in funding for the national defense of the United States and increases efforts to support the development of intelligence capabilities, continues growing the Space Force, and modernizes the nation’s nuclear triad. On a bipartisan basis, the committee voted to increase the topline authorization, allocating the investment directly to programs Combatant Commanders need to fulfill their missions. Specifically, the legislation:

• Authorizes $878.4 billion for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and $33.4 billion for national security programs within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
• Authorizes a national defense topline increase of $25 billion, including increased procurement of combat vessels, aircraft, and vehicles.
• Authorizes increased funding to enhance the submarine industrial base and to support the construction of a second Virginia-class submarine in FY25.
• Authorizes funding to support a 4.5 percent pay raise for military members and a 2 percent pay raise for DOD civilian employees. 
• In an effort to meaningfully improve access to healthcare, and tragically inspired by suicides at Grand Forks Air Force base, Cramer led the adoption of an amendment requiring the Defense Health Agency to review behavioral health care access under TRICARE and expand to include state-credentialed mental health providers if a state does not meet the TRICARE standard of access.
• Authorizes TRICARE health providers to provide tele-mental health care services to members of the Armed Forces and their dependents without regard to the location of the provider or the patient. 
• Authorizes increased funding to repair and improve enlisted barracks across the services.
• Requires the military services to meet 4 percent, the industry standard, of plant replacement value for facility maintenance by FY29. Plant replacement value is the total cost to replace a building, this would require the services to put that 4% value into maintenance on an annual basis. This will significantly cut down on the $180 billion backlog in deferred maintenance.
• Condemns the horrific terrorist attack by Hamas against Israel on October 7th; supports DOD activities to increase humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza; and increases support for certain U.S.-Israel cooperation efforts.
• Adds $47.5 million for U.S.-Israel cooperation on emerging technology.
• Authorizes an additional $25 million for Joint Task Force North to bolster its mission countering transnational criminal organizations along the southwest border.
• Authorizes increased funding for UAS defenses and capabilities.
• Authorizes increased funding for the development of new and innovative design, manufacturing, and production techniques for low-cost attritable, uncrewed systems.
• Requires a strategy for countering drone technologies, referring drone offenses for investigation and prosecution, and responding to drone incursions.
• Directs a briefing on current and future capabilities to test directed energy systems.
• Requires a strategy to develop a secure domestic and allied supply chain of critical components for small UAS.

After the legislation passed out of the committee, Cramer issued the following statement:

“Each year, Congress passes a National Defense Authorization Act to direct critical investments and policies to provide for our constitutional duty: the common defense. The world is a dangerous place and desperately needs President Reagan’s ‘peace through strength’ leadership. Today’s global threats are not constrained by budget caps and neither should our response to them. The increased investment into critical defense programs is an important step in meeting the threats we face. The missions and people across our state play a central role in our national defense, and this bill makes critical investments in the work they do, both present and future. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this bill into law.”

Cramer has used his seat on SASC to secure funding authorization and language for missions both directly and indirectly benefiting North Dakota’s military community. Upon final passage, the 64^th annual NDAA will authorize multiple projects across the state of North Dakota:

Minot

• Requires the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) count to be no less than 400 total, protecting the nation’s nuclear deterrent capabilities.
• Provides $3.7 billion for Sentinel ICBMs, modernizing the nation’s Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD).
• Directs the restoration of nuclear capabilities across the entire B-52 strategic bomber fleet.
• Requires a plan for acquiring and deploying up to 450 Sentinel ICBMs.

Grand Forks

• Provides critical funding for the development and deployment of future Air Force intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions at Grand Forks AFB.
• Provides $1.9 million in planning and design funding to begin the process of maintenance for the Grand Forks Air Force Base runway.
• Authorizes $3 million in additional funding for the development of corrosion resistant coatings produced by Technology Applications Group (TAG) in Grand Forks. TAG is a leader in magnesium surface protection and inventor of the Tanite anodize coating.
• Authorizes $8 million in additional funding for development of new UAV technology produced by Ideal Aerosmith in Grand Forks. Ideal Aerosmith is the leading supplier of precision inertial guidance test systems, flight motion simulators, and a premier provider of aerospace test engineering services, ATE system engineering, and quality contract manufacturing services to the aerospace industry.
• Prohibits the premature retirement of Global Hawks.

Fargo

• Supports a $6 million increase in funding for continued development of cold spray repair and additive manufacturing technology done by VRC Metals.

• Provides $2 million in additional funding for advanced composite research done by North Dakota State University.
• Senator Cramer co-led policy to create an equivalent identifier to a combat status identifier for remotely piloted aircraft crew, such as the Happy Hooligans, to ensure they receive appropriate mental healthcare coverage and benefits. 

Bismarck

• Authorizes $10 million and supporting legislation to ensure there is a clear sustainment plan for the UH-72 Lakota helicopters, utilized by the North Dakota Army National Guard.

Cavalier Space Force Station (SFS)

• Supports $5 million for updates to the PARCS radar at Cavalier Space Force Station.