July 28, 2023
In Draft Defense Appropriations Bill, Senator Murray Leads Efforts to Boost Support for Servicemembers and Their Families
Senator Murray: “If we are serious about supporting our servicemembers and military families—whether at Fairchild or JBLM— then these are the kinds of investments we can’t afford to shortchange.”
ICYMI: Chair Murray’s Opening Remarks at Full Committee Markup
ICYMI: Senate Appropriations Committee Overwhelmingly Approves Defense Funding Bill, 27-1
Washington, D.C. — On Thursday, the Senate Appropriations Committee, led by Chair Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), voted to advance the Defense funding bill for Fiscal Year 2024 that Senator Murray led the committee in drafting. The legislation funds the Department of Defense and includes important investments to strengthen our deterrent capabilities and global readiness, improve readiness among the services and the National Guard and Reserve, invest in modernization across the U.S. military, and more.
The legislation supports servicemembers and their families with new
resources to improve military housing, double enrollment in full-day
universal pre-K, ensure survivors of sexual assault can seek justice,
and more. The bill also provides a 5.2 percent pay raise for
servicemembers and important funding boosts for suicide prevention
efforts. The Committee voted overwhelmingly, 27-1 to advance the
legislation, where it now awaits consideration by the full Senate.
“Having a strong military means more than just investments in weapons, equipment, or facilities,” said Senator Murray.
“When it comes to defending our country, our most valuable asset has
ALWAYS been the brave and talented women and men who are willing to put
their lives on the line to keep our country safe.
“This
bill boosts pay for our servicemembers and does so much to support
military families in Washington state—from mental health care and
suicide prevention, to housing and child care,” continued Senator Murray.
“If we are serious about supporting our servicemembers and military
families—whether at Fairchild or JBLM— then these are the kinds of
investments we can’t afford to shortchange.”
Notably, the legislation includes:
- A 5.2 percent pay increase for servicemembers.
- $94 million for full-day universal pre-K for approximately 4,000 four-year-olds of family members at Department of Defense Education Activity schools, a longtime priority led by Senator Murray.
- $33 million to support programs for child care workers so they can maintain their employment at child development centers on military installations. Installations around Washington state and the country are struggling with providing sufficient child care, and facilities are facing serious staffing issues—Senator Murray has consistently led the charge to fight for child care funds in the Defense spending bill.
- $20 million for renovation and repairs of Child Development Centers, like the child development center at Fairchild Air Force Base.
- $47 million for the Sexual Assault Special Victims’ Counsel program to help survivors of sexual assault. Special Victims’ Counsels assist survivors with navigating the military legal system and advocate on behalf of survivors’ interests.
- $59.2 million for the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office to help reduce sexual assault in the military.
- $18.3 million to implement the recommendations of the Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review Committee and reduce suicide in the military.
- A boost in funding to combat substance use disorders throughout the military by investing in programs to help prevent and treat substance use disorder.
- An additional $2.1 billion to upgrade military facilities in poor condition across the country.
Murray also secured funding in the legislation for key projects that are important to Washington state, including $110 million for the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for seismically mitigating the dry docks at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, and a $72.1 million increase in environmental mitigation funding for PFAS with remediation funding for the Navy, Air Force, and Base Operations Support.
More information on the bill is available HERE.
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