Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement:
“I voted no on the House version of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) because it raises the defense budget to $1.15 trillion, paving the way for the Administration to continue spending billions of dollars on Trump’s unjustified war in Iran rather than lowering the cost of living for everyday Americans. I also opposed this legislation because my Republican colleagues added extreme provisions attacking the right to vote, and health care for servicemembers, their kids and the LGBTQI+ community.”
“I hope the final version of the bill removes these harmful provisions and returns the focus to raising servicemember pay, investing in Naval Station Everett and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and supporting NATO allies and Ukraine.”
Yesterday, Rep. Larsen voted against the House version of the Fiscal Year 2027 NDAA. The legislation passed on a 216-212 vote.
Larsen Fights for Health Care for Servicemembers; Defense Tech Innovation
Rep. Larsen filed two amendments for consideration in the FY27 NDAA:
2. Restore FY26 funding ($37.5 million) for a program to evaluate dual-use technologies identified through the NATO Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) and to support their integration into the U.S. defense base. The Administration eliminated this program in its FY27 budget proposal.
Republicans blocked both amendments from being considered for inclusion in the FY27 NDAA.
Rep. Larsen also filed a bipartisan amendment to improve U.S. Coast Guard operations for consideration. He is the top Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which has jurisdiction over the Coast Guard. This amendment was added to the FY27 NDAA before passage.
Larsen’s Local Priorities Included in FY27 NDAA
Several of Rep. Larsen’s priorities were included in the House version of the NDAA, including:
A pay raise for servicemembers;
Full funding for Impact Aid, which supports local school districts with large populations of military-connected students, such as Oak Harbor;
Investments in Naval Air Station Whidbey Island;
Language recognizing the importance of Naval Station Everett to the U.S. military’s Indo-Pacific force posture;
TRICARE coverage of fertility treatments for servicemembers and their families.
