The annual defense policy bill passed the House by a four-vote margin July 22, the latest step forward for the $1.15 trillion legislation amid many competing congressional priorities.

The chamber’s version of the FY 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) would:

• Authorize a tiered pay raise, with servicemembers E-5 and below receiving a 7% increase, E-6 to O-3 getting a 6% boost, and O-4 and above earning a 5% raise.
  
  
• Address several MOAA priorities, to include duty status reform and military child care improvements.
  
  
• Reverse planned cuts to more than 40 military hospitals and clinics, while addressing other health care issues such as access to care barriers and requiring an audit of the TRICARE Pharmacy Program.

[RELATED: Senators Question Whether Military Pharmacy Program Is the Best Deal for Beneficiaries]

What’s Next

It’s unlikely the Senate will consider the House version, as that chamber has its own draft (S. 4784) with a similar topline authorization figure. It includes an across-the-board 3.6% pay raise, among other differences from the House version.

It is unclear whether the Senate version will reach that chamber’s floor for a vote before Aug. 7, when members are scheduled to leave Washington for their state work period. The Senate isn’t scheduled to reconvene until Aug. 31.

Once the Senate passes its NDAA draft, a joint conference committee usually negotiates a final version of the bill that must be passed by both chambers. The process usually lasts most of the calendar year – the last five NDAAs have been signed into law in December, while the FY 2021 NDAA took even longer: The Senate overrode a presidential veto on Jan. 1, 2021, for that bill to take effect.

MOAA will continue to engage with lawmakers and their staffs on key provisions of the NDAA as the legislative process moves forward. Keep up with the latest on this legislation and other MOAA advocacy priorities at our advocacy news page, and learn how you can reach out to your lawmakers via our Legislative Action Center.