Durbin Statement On Senate Passage Of NDAA For Fiscal Year 2024

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today released the following statement after voting for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes an authorization of nearly $886 billion for national security, including authorizations for military construction projects in Illinois and a 5.2 percent pay raise for service members and the Department of Defense (DoD) civilian workforce, which is the largest increase in two decades:

“I’m pleased to see the Senate finally pass the NDAA today with a bipartisan vote, demonstrating that members on both sides of the aisle remain committed to a strong national defense and to the protection of our women and men in uniform. Illinois, in particular, will see significant investment as a result of this legislation, and I’m eager to see this federal spending make a positive impact on our state.

“I am frustrated that the extension of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act has been excluded to the detriment of communities wrongfully harmed by nuclear exposure and that Americans will soon be without the protections afforded by the Undetectable Firearms Actwithout its extension included in the NDAA. I am also disappointed that the bill includes an extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act despite ongoing bipartisan and bicameral negotiations over legislation to reform this warrantless surveillance tool. However, the NDAA does contain many important provisions – including support for our allies such as the Baltics and Australia in addition to significant funding to modernize our state’s military installations.”

Durbin-led measures included in the FY24 NDAA are:

1. Military Construction and Research Projects in Illinois. The bill includes an authorization of $24 million to support construction of the Army National Guard’s Armory in North Riverside, Illinois; an authorization of $5.25 million to complete the Army National Guard’s Vehicle Maintenance Shop in North Bloomington, Illinois; an authorization of $2 million in planning and design funds for a new Army Guard Readiness Center in Peoria, Illinois; an authorization of $5 million in planning and design funds for the renovation of the General Jones Armory for the Army National Guard in Chicago; and a $5 million authorization for digital manufacturing modernization in support of the work of entities such as MxD in Chicago.
2. Military Aircraft. The bill retains C-130 aircraft minimum inventory requirements and prohibits divestments to protect Air National Guard units, including Peoria, Illinois’ 182^ndAirlift Wing and requires the Air Force to report on its executive aircraft fleet, including C-40s at Scott Air Force Base, to assess mission needs.
3. Impact Aid. The bill authorizes $60 million in topline Impact Aid funding to support school districts located near military bases.
4. Ukraine. The bill retains Durbin’s FY23 NDAA provision that prohibits funds for the recognition of any sovereign Ukrainian territory forcibly seized by Russia. The bill also extends the authorization for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative through FY26 and authorizes $300 million for FY24, with provisions to increase oversight of such aid.
5. Baltic Security Initiative. The bill requires a report on sustained security assistance for the Baltics per Durbin’s Baltic Security Initiative legislation.
6. Provision requiring a report on certain hostilities involving U.S. troops, to include providing data on the number of civilian causalities that occurred as a result of the incident.

As Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Durbin helped secure a number of provisions that were in the jurisdiction of the Committee. These provisions include:

1. Preventing Child Sex Abuse Act: The NDAA also incorporates the bipartisan Preventing Child Sex Abuse Act, which clarifies the criminal provision prohibiting travel across state lines with the intent to sexually abuse a minor.
2. GRATEFUL Act: The NDAA includes the GRATEFUL Act, which sets aside a limited number of diversity visas for foreign nationals who have provided years of service to the U.S. government.

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