In the News

U.S. Senate passes defense bill backed by Arkansas congressional delegation
by Ryan Tarinelli
Arkansas Democrat Gazette
December 16, 2021

WASHINGTON -- A national defense bill that would authorize a pay bump for military service members in Arkansas and elsewhere cleared the U.S. Senate on Wednesday.

The $768 billion authorization legislation, which received bipartisan support in both chambers, includes a 2.7% pay increase for military service members. The bill must still be signed by President Joe Biden for full approval.

Arkansas' all-Republican congressional delegation backed the measure in the Senate and House. The House passed the legislation last week in a 363-70 vote. Wednesday's Senate vote was 88-11.

Service members will start receiving the pay increase in January, according to congressional committee spokespeople. That will include pay raises for military members based at the Little Rock Air Force Base in Jacksonville.

The base had about 5,500 military personnel in total, according to a past economic impact statement. The figure includes military personnel living on and off base.

The legislation would also authorize an increase in parental leave for service members and a 2.7% pay raise for the civilian workforce at the U.S. Department of Defense, according to a summary of the bill provided by the Senate Armed Services Committee.

For fiscal 2022, the defense bill authorizes $740 billion for the U.S. Department of Defense and an additional $27.8 billion for "national security programs" in the U.S. Department of Energy, according to the summary.

In a Senate floor speech, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., noted that the bill sets the overarching policy for the Defense Department, but does not give the money to implement the policies.

"It says what the policies will be. It declares what the funding should be. But there's not one penny, not one penny in this bill," he said. "[That's the] job of the appropriations committee."

When it comes to the pay raises, a Democratic spokesperson for the House Armed Services Committee said military service members would receive their pay increases starting in January, along with the defense department's civilian workforce.

In general, the Defense Department will take the funding from other parts of the department to fund pay increases until appropriation legislation is completed, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said the National Guard and the Army Corps of Engineers would be included in receiving the pay bump.

The defense bill has elicited praise from both Democrats and Republicans.

"This year's defense bill largely does what it should: support and strengthen our troops," Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said in a statement Wednesday.

"This bill prioritizes our nation's defense and our commitment to servicemembers and their families," Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., said in a statement Wednesday.

Boozman said the legislation's final version would not require a draft sign-up for women.

"Congress has a constitutional responsibility to ensure our warfighters are equipped to defend the homeland," said Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark, in a statement last week. "We meet that mission in this [bill]."

Womack said lawmakers must move forward with full-year appropriations to implement the priorities, instead of stopgap measures.

In a statement last week, Rep. French Hill, R-Ark. said he was proud to back the defense bill as it authorizes the 2.7% pay bump for military members based at the Little Rock Air Force Base.

Hill said the bill would upgrade military equipment and hold the president's administration to account for the "disastrous" Afghanistan withdrawal.

Democrats have praised the bill for addressing sexual assault in the military.

Last week in a statement, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi described the legislation as a "strong, bipartisan defense bill that will keep America safe." She said the measure includes "historic and sweeping reforms to combat sexual assault in the military."