West Hudson Valley News

Ryan secured 5.2% military pay raise, bolstered funding for West Point, increased funding for the Marine Innovation Unit at Stewart Air National Guard Base, and forced an investigation into PFAS pollution in Newburgh 

In addition to local priorities, Ryan spearheaded key initiatives that ensure US keeps up with rising threat of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)

WASHINGTON, DC  – On June 23, 2023, Congressman Pat Ryan voted to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) out of the House Armed Services Committee, delivering for the Hudson Valley, including a 5.2% military pay raise, robust funding for West Point, increased funding for the Marine Innovation Unit at Stewart Air National Guard Base, and a requirement that the Department of Defense further investigate PFAS pollution in Newburgh.

“I fought tooth and nail to deliver for Hudson Valley families and for our country,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “The NDAA is Congress’s single biggest authorization of federal funding. This includes a record-setting military pay raise, providing our servicemembers and their families the pay and peace of mind they deserve. Equally important, I secured landmark investments in the newly-activated Marine Innovation Unit (MIU) at Stewart Air National Guard Base, bringing a new source of good-paying jobs and industry to the Hudson Valley. This development is aided by a formal Department of Defense investigation into PFAS pollution in Newburgh, furthering my efforts to provide clean water for every family in the Hudson Valley. This bill is a major win for Hudson Valley families and the country as a whole.”

Congressman Ryan spearheaded the following components of the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act:

1. $2M increase in funding for the newly-activated Marine Innovation Unit (MIU) at Stewart Air National Guard Base, a specialized reservist unit that will take on some of the most complicated challenges facing the Marine Corp. 
2. A report on PFAS contamination on and around military installations, including Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, in an effort to guarantee that communities impacted by PFAS are receiving the support and answers they deserve from the Department of Defense.
3. Inclusion of Congressman Ryan’s H.R. 4265, the Insider Threat Assessment Act, which requires a study on the effectiveness of safeguards in place to protect classified information from insider threats. This comes on the heels of a Massachusetts Air National Guardsman leaking hundreds of classified Pentagon documents. 
4. A report on the impact on illicit fentanyl use and overdose by servicemembers to ensure that the Department of Defense is paying close attention to the issues that are impacting our servicemembers and communities. 
5. A military basic pay raise of 5.2% to provide relief to military families dealing with high costs.
6. Full funding and support for the United States Military Academy at West Point, ensuring that the USMA can continue to carry out their critical construction efforts, the development of their innovative Cyber and Engineering School, and their overall mission to prepare leaders for the world’s most complicated challenges. 
7. Key initiatives to ensure the United States is keeping up with the rising threat of the CCP, including by creating an intellectual property strategy for the Department of Defense, working to create opportunities for our civilian cyber workforce, helping small businesses work alongside the Department of Defense, and supporting New York business efforts to prepare our nation in an era of strategic competition. 

Original source can be found here.