Make America Strong Again
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed this year’s National Defense Authorization Act – better known as the NDAA (H.R. 2810). This bill funds critical defense priorities, including military readiness and a pay raise for our troops. Congressman Kevin Brady (TX-08) issued the following statement after voting for the bill:
My number one constitutional responsibility is funding our national defense and the men and women who sacrifice everyday to provide it. For years, our military has faced growing threats around the world with one hand tied behind its back thanks to budget cuts. This bill provides billions in increased funding to ensure our military have the tools, training, and troops they need to protect our country. The NDAA is key to the security of our country and fulfills our promise to the American people to Make Our Military Strong Again. WATCH: Click play button below or HERE to watch video.
BACKGROUND READINESS: After a half-decade of cuts, we’re rebuilding The NDAA authorizes increasing the size of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Army Guard and Reserve, Naval and Air Reserve, and Air Guard. It increases funding for maintenance for all Services, for increased training opportunities, and for sustaining, restoring, and modernizing facilities. The NDAA provides for U.S. involvement and support for efforts in strategic regions around the world. It enhances our defense by modernizing our nuclear weapons stockpile, missile defense, and military vehicles; and supporting defensive and offensive cyberspace strategy. It prohibits transferring detainees from Guantanamo Bay to the United States, and from transferring the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay back to Cuba. RESOURCES: Providing our troops and their families what they need This bill gives our troops the largest pay since 2010. It also extends special pay and bonuses for service members. It blocks the misguided attempt to close military medical facilities upon which our deployed troops and their families rely. Additionally it provides commonsense resources to help families manage challenges like relocations, including reimbursements for spouse’s obtaining licensing/certification in another state. REFORM: We’re reforming the way the Pentagon does business Building on the reforms we enacted over the past two years with strong bipartisan support: Updated retirement system, improved military health care system, made commissary benefits more efficient and sustainable, overhauled bureaucracy, and made changes to the way the Pentagon buys goods and services. The FY18 NDAA further streamlines bureaucracy, drives efficiency through competition, and gives the Pentagon the tools it needs to make better business decisions by adding oversight to service contracts. Any funding for services that need to be contracted out will now be submitted through the DOD budget process, forcing the Pentagon to analyze actual needs and spending patterns. Congress will have a better idea of what kinds of services are being contracted and their cost. It also improves the way the Pentagon buys commercial off-the-shelf goods, by allowing the DOD to use online commercial sites like Amazon or Grainger, to get goods at a lower price, quicker, and in a more transparent process. The NDAA also updates Uniform Code of Military Justice to prohibit crimes of non-consensual sharing of intimate images. CLICK HERE to learn more. PERMALINK |
