Bishop Opposes Politicized House Defense Bill, Pledges to Protect Georgia Military Priorities

WASHINGTON - Yesterday, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) voted against the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027, H.R. 8800. The legislation passed the House by a vote of 216-212, with Congressman Bishop voting no.

"The National Defense Authorization Act should represent Congress at its best-Republicans and Democrats working together to provide for our national defense and support the men and women who wear our nation's uniform," said Congressman Bishop. "Unfortunately, Republican leadership took legislation that should unite us and loaded it down with unrelated, divisive provisions that have little to do with military readiness or national security."

The House-passed bill contains several provisions Congressman Bishop strongly supports, including a 5% to 7% military pay raise, improvements to military housing, childcare and education, and investments in munitions production, advanced technology, and the defense industrial base.

The legislation also includes provisions that could benefit Georgia's military communities. It would prevent proposed service reductions at the 78th Medical Group at Robins Air Force Base, and it also authorizes investments in Army maneuver units, combat training centers, infantry weapons, next-generation combat vehicles, and short-range air defense capabilities that support the training and modernization missions carried out at Fort Benning.

Congressman Bishop also supported a bipartisan amendment included in the bill that removes the cap on the number of accrued leave days for which separating servicemembers may receive payment.

"These investments matter to military families throughout Middle and Southwest Georgia," continued Congressman Bishop. "I support providing our troops with a well-earned pay raise, strengthening the readiness and modernization mission at Fort Benning, protecting access to health care at Robins Air Force Base, and ensuring servicemembers receive the compensation they have earned.

"However, House Republican leaders chose to combine the defense bill with the so-called SAVE America Act-unrelated election legislation that would prevent millions of American citizens from voting, along with poison-pill provisions that do nothing to improve readiness, strengthen our installations, or help military families. Their inclusion made this version of the bill impossible for me to support.

"I remain committed to working across the aisle to remove these objectionable provisions in the Senate in order to produce a responsible, bipartisan NDAA. As negotiations continue, I will fight to preserve the pay raise, quality-of-life improvements, Georgia installation priorities, and readiness investments while removing the unrelated political provisions that undermine the longstanding bipartisan tradition of the defense authorization process."

Ultimately, the House and Senate must reconcile their respective versions of the FY2027 NDAA before final legislation can be sent to the President.

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