Seriously good news for military families and for the country

We got some actually good news for military families, which is something I take personally.

This supports force retention and recruitment, which is a serious national security thing right now.

Thanks to relentless advocacy and leadership from Blue Star Families (BSF), Congress has passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), including 39 provisions recommended by the Quality of Life Panel of the House Armed Services Committee.

This is a very big deal for the families who serve alongside our service members. Here are a few of the critical improvements now in place:

• A 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members (E-1 to E-4)
• Expanded Basic Needs Allowance to help fight food insecurity
• Increased access to affordable child care
• Better support for military spouse employment through easier license transfers and job programs
• Stronger mental health services for service members and their families
• Improved housing conditions for military families

This didn’t happen by accident. It took years of hard work, research, and advocacy. Blue Star Families made sure lawmakers truly understood what’s at stake for our military families—and the results speak for themselves.

There’s still more work to do, but today we celebrate progress. And I’m proud to support Blue Star Families in making sure our military families get the respect and resources they deserve.

Let’s keep the momentum going!