Barrett Votes to Raise Troop Pay, Strengthen National Security As House Passes NDAA

Washington, D.C. - Yesterday, Congressman Tom Barrett (MI-07) and the U.S. House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2027 with bipartisan support. This legislation authorizes $1.15 trillion in investments for the U.S. military and national security - including a 5% to 7% pay increase for all service members.

The bill also promotes peace through strength by bolstering the armed forces, boosting America's defense production, and deterring hostile foreign powers. The bill includes key priorities Barrett advocated: preparing Michigan's Selfridge Air National Guard Base for its next fighter jet mission, making military and commercial air travel safer, and taking steps to correct the injustices of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

"Building a strong military means investing in the men and women who put their lives on the line to defend our freedom," said Barrett. "This bill makes those investments by providing a historic pay raise, more housing and child care resources, and the tools our armed forces need to keep our nation safe. I'm proud the bill also includes several important provisions I led to make air travel safer for all Americans, right the wrongs service members faced during COVID-19, and prepare Selfridge for a new fighter mission. Our service members deserve the best, and I'll continue fighting to ensure they have the support and resources to continue protecting our nation."

Background:

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 strengthens America's armed forces and national security by:

• Authorizing $1.15 trillion in defense spending, including targeted resources to deter threats from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
• Increasing pay for service members by 5% to 7%.
• Improving critical support resources for military families, including housing and child care services.
• Revitalizing America's defense industrial base by investing in weapons, equipment, and vehicles for the military; lowering regulatory barriers that make it difficult for new and small contractors to compete; and supporting private-sector investment that will create thousands of American jobs.
• Protecting taxpayer dollars by removing wasteful spending, setting up a fraud task force, and auditing the entire Department of Defense (DoD).

Selfridge

The bill authorizes $451.9 million for critical infrastructure improvements Selfridge Air National Guard Base will need for the F-15 EX Eagle II squadron that President Trump announced last year as well as prepare the base for the arrival of the KC-46 tankers. The bill also requires the Air Force to maintain the A-10 Warthog fleet as the base transitions from its A-10 mission to the F-15 EX mission. Barrett has been a leader of successful efforts to ensure Selfridge remains mission-ready during the transition period.

Vaccine Mandate

The NDAA includes a provision that mirrors Barrett's COVID-19 Military Mandate Transparency Act, requiring the Department of Defense to determine and publicly report how many veterans were forced to retire or leave the military early for refusing the COVID vaccine. The calculation will pave the way for Barrett's Patriots Over Politics Act, which would restore these veterans' ability to transfer their unused GI Bill benefits to their children.

Aviation Safety

The House also adopted an amendment to the NDAA that Barrett proposed to make military aircraft safer in light of the tragic crash in January 2025 between an Army helicopter and a passenger jet. The amendment mirrors the Military Next-Gen Collision Avoidance Act, legislation Barrett introduced several weeks ago to require the DoD to create an action plan for implementing next-generation anti-crash technology, known as Airborne Collision Avoidance System X (ACAS-X), in military aircraft.

Click here to read the NDAA.