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Washington, DC – Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul released the following statement on the House National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the 2024 fiscal year. The legislation passed the House with broad bipartisan support.

“Over the last year, we’ve witnessed the threat of our adversaries grow in alarming ways. We must do all we can to support and strengthen our military, ensuring our troops — those who truly represent the best of us and our Nation’s values — have the means necessary to combat our adversaries now more than ever. This year’s NDAA ensures our military is strong and prepared by providing the largest pay raise for servicemembers in 20 years, taking important steps to end wokeness from being forced on our troops, giving those discharged for not taking the COVID-19 vaccine a path back to service, providing continued support for Israel, and countering CCP aggression.” 

Some of the HFAC Provisions included in NDAA:

  • Language that revolutionizes our defense cooperation with Australia and the U.K, provides significant congressional oversight over AUKUS, and authorizes the sale of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines to the Australians. These provisions follow legislation introduced and championed by Chairman McCaul, Subcommittee Chairs Young Kim and Tom Kean, and Representative Bill Huizenga.

“The Australia-U.K.-U.S. alliance, known as AUKUS, is critical to pushing back against the increasingly aggressive Chinese Communist Party in the Indo-Pacific. Recent events like the atrocities committed by Hamas, Russia’s illegal invasion and occupation of Ukraine, and China’s threats against Taiwan and in the South China Sea remind us why it is key to have reliable allies like the Australians and British, who have fought side by side with us for decades. I am pleased the NDAA includes language to authorize the sale of Virginia-class submarines to Australia and to provide them a full nation defense trade exemption that is not hampered by over-regulation, to the Australians and Brits, who are clearly ready and eligible to receive this type of exemption,” said Chairman Michael McCaul.

  • Language to require congressional notification when senior officials’ security clearances are suspended. This provision is based on legislation introduced by Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) and co-sponsored by Chairman McCaul in response to the U.S. State Department hiding the fact from Congress for months that President Biden’s Special Envoy to Iran, Robert Malley, had his security clearance suspended. It was later reported the FBI had opened an investigation into Malley’s conduct.

“For months, the Biden administration withheld critical information from Congress and the American people about the Special Envoy Malley’s security clearance. Given the gravity of this situation, it’s critical Congress close any loopholes that would allow the State Department to keep such an important piece of information a secret from Congress,” said Chairman Michael McCaul.

  • Language to assist the family members of U.S. hostages that will pay for hostage families to come to DC to advocate on behalf of their loved ones. It also allows the State Department to connect families with mental health, legal, and tax consulting and assistance. This provision reflects language introduced by Rep. French Hill and supported by Chairman McCaul.

“Right now, dozens of Americans are wrongfully detained around the world, and their families not certain if they will ever see them again. I’m hopeful this provision provides a small amount of comfort to the families of wrongfully detained Americans who are desperately fighting to get their loved ones home,” said Chairman Michael McCaul.

  • Language to create a Special Envoy to the Abraham Accords. This provision is based on legislation drafted by Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) that passed the House this year, and was co-sponsored by Chairman Michael McCaul.

In 2020, President Trump announced a game-changing development that benefits the United States, Israel, and our partners in the region: the Abraham Accords. As Israel faces one of the biggest threats since its creation more than 70 years ago, now more than ever, it’s time to put our diplomatic might into continuing the kinds of big breakthroughs that created the Accords almost three years ago. This provision, based on Rep. Lawler’s legislation, does exactly that,” said Chairman Michael McCaul.

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