Deluzio Statement on Passage of the 2025 Defense Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Navy and Iraq War veteran and House Armed Services Committee member Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) voted against the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). 

Following the vote, he released the following statement: 

“I love this country. I am so proud I wore the uniform and led Americans at sea and in Iraq. Where I’m from, we think service is sacred, and I believe in my bones that the United States military can and must be prepared for any challenge that comes its way—especially when it comes to the rising threat of Communist China. 

“There were a lot of good things in this bill: important pay raises for service members, improved childcare for military families, and support for industry and facilities in my district like the Air National Guard’s 171st Air Refueling Wing. The bill also supports many important programs that confront Communist China’s rise and strengthen our allies in the region. 

“But the fact is: we need more oversight of how the Pentagon is spending our public dollars. We all pay for our military, and too often defense contractors rip us off, facing little competition and prioritizing their profits over our shared national defense. 

“We are paying too much for products that are often behind schedule, overpriced, and aren’t good enough for our military. 

“In an earlier version of the bill that passed with bipartisan support, I successfully included two of my commonsense provisions to fight price gouging and bring more oversight to the defense contracting process. 

“But the D.C. swamp did its work, stripping out those provisions that would have saved public money and brought more accountability to defense contractors.  

“We need a military that has what it needs to keep us safe and to fight and win our wars. And we need a Pentagon that can better protect public money and push back against the powerful defense industrial complex.  

“I will keep working toward those goals.” 

###