Rep. Tony Gonzales Secures Key Wins to Support America’s Military

Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) voted to pass H.R. 8070, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25).

This important legislation provides a pay raise for our troops, improves military housing, supports employment for military spouses, prioritizes quality of life initiatives for military families, and equips our armed services to defend against America's adversaries. 

In addition, it includes several of Congressman Gonzales' defense priorities for the 23^rd Congressional District of Texas:

• $50+ million to support Rep. Gonzales’ Community Project Funding Request for New Housing, Classrooms, and a Dining Facility at Lackland AFB (San Antonio)
• $44 million for the Rail Yard at Fort Bliss (El Paso)
• $38 million for the T-7 Ground-Based Training System at Laughlin AFB (Del Rio)
• $24 million for MHPI Restructure at Lackland AFB (San Antonio)
• $18 million for T-7 Unity Maintenance Training Facility at Laughlin AFB (Del Rio)
• An amendment that directs the Department of Defense to enforce an implementation plan to ensure our military families see an increase in their Family Service Allowance (FSA). Rep. Gonzales helped secure an increase from $250 to $400 in last year's NDAA. An increase has not been made since 2004. 

Key Priorities Advanced by Congressman Gonzales:

• Pay Raise for our Troops: The FY25 NDAA gives junior enlisted servicemembers a 19.5% pay raise, expands allowances for housing and food, and improves the cost-of-living calculation
• Improved Housing: The FY25 NDAA boosts funding for housing maintenance accounts, strengthens oversight of military housing programs, and pursues public-private partnerships to upgrade unaccompanied housing
• Access to Medical Care: The FY25 NDAA reduces dangerous healthcare wait times by expanding access to medical providers, especially mental health providers, and increases oversight of healthcare accessibility for servicemembers
• Support for Military Spouses: The FY25 NDAA makes it easier for spouses to transfer professional licenses across states and expands DoD programs that provide employment support to military spouses
• Access to Childcare: The FY25 NDAA improves access to childcare for military families by mitigating childcare staffing shortages at DoD facilities and fully funding childcare fee assistance programs
• Deters Communist China:
  • Prevents Communist China’s espionage in our military, supply chain, and research institutions
  • Reforms DoD acquisitions to expedite the fielding of innovative technologies that we need to deter Communist China’s aggression
  • Bolsters Taiwan’s defense, supports Indo-Pacific allies, and increases funding for U.S. defense initiatives in the Indo-Pacific
• Defends Israel:
  • Expands U.S.-Israel military exercises and fully funds cooperative missile defense programs
  • Increases funding for R&D of emerging technology and anti-tunneling programs with Israel
• Secures America’s Border:
  • Fully funds the deployment of National Guard troops at the southwest border
  • Expands authorities and increases funding for DoD counternarcotics activities
• Oversight & Accountability:
  • Saves $30 billion by cutting inefficient programs, obsolete weapons, and Pentagon bureaucracy
  • Cracks down on contractor waste by cutting $4.3 billion in programs that aren’t meeting requirements