House, Senate committees approve funding, including military pay raise

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WWNY) - Next year’s National Defense Authorization Act is taking shape, and it looks to give the military its highest pay raise in 20 years.

The funding has been approved by the House and Senate Armed Services committees.

In all, it hovers around $844 billion.

The pay increase sits around 5 percent - the highest hike since 2002.

It looks to boost a junior enlisted military member’s housing allowance.

North country Congresswoman Elise Stefanik’s office says it also authorizes $20 million in funding for the Missile Defense Agency to continue work on a third missile defense site to be built at Fort Drum.

Stefanik has gotten more verbal commitment from higher-ups in the Department of Defense supporting the missile defense site, but no agreement has been made in Washington to actually fund the project.