The Association of the U.S. Army is urging key lawmakers to authorize full funding for the Army and DoD, a pay increase of at least 5.2% for service members and civilian employees and the resources needed to continue the Army’s transformation and quality of life efforts.

In a letter to the chairmen and ranking members of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, AUSA advocates for these critical issues and calls for passage “as quickly as possible” of the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act.

“The Army is vital to national security with recent conflicts across the globe demonstrating that land power is essential, and the land domain is decisive,” retired Gen. Bob Brown, AUSA president and CEO, writes in the Nov. 17 letter.

“Thus, we request that you authorize funding—at least at the levels included in the bills passed in your respective chambers—and add additional resources commensurate with the threats facing our nation,” Brown writes. “Additional resources could support the Army’s unfunded priorities, enable continuous transformation through modernization, support Army and DoD infrastructure, improve both the organic and defense industrial base, and help to mitigate inflation.”

Brown also urges lawmakers to support a 5.2% pay increase for service members and DoD civilians. “The pay increase is particularly important given military pay has not kept up with the Economic Cost Index (ECI) by 2.6 percent over time,” he writes.

Quality of life programs, including improvements to child care, housing and health care, remain a priority, along with programs to eliminate harmful behaviors such as sexual assault and sexual harassment, Brown writes.

AUSA also supports the Army’s transformation efforts. “As threats to our nation grow, the need to modernize and improve readiness is apparent,” Brown writes. “AUSA requests your continued support for the Army’s modernization priorities to enable future capabilities and support for the Army’s training and sustaining priorities to assure near-term and future readiness—this includes a strong and expandable organic industrial base.”

The Army continues to answer the nation’s call at home and around the world, Brown writes. “Indeed, a ready and capable Army is indispensable to national security,” he writes. “Once again, we urge you to swiftly pass the NDAA and authorize additional resources that reflect the demonstrated need and urgency that our national security challenges require.”

Read the full letter here.