Heitkamp Statement on Senate Passage of Defense Authorization Bill

Statement

U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp, co-founder of the bipartisan Senate Defense Communities Caucus, today voted with a bipartisan majority of the Senate to pass the National Defense Authorization Act, which sets policy and authorizes funding levels for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). The bill also passed in the House and will now go to the President.

"This bill isn't perfect, but it will bolster and protect North Dakota military missions that are the backbone of U.S. national security -- like the nuclear deterrent in Minot, and unmanned aircraft systems in Grand Forks and Fargo that provide critical intelligence for our military," said Heitkamp. "Keeping our country safe is one of the most important duties we're tasked with in the Senate. It's a responsibility I take seriously, and I'm proud to vote to provide North Dakota servicemembers at home and around the world with the resources they need to keep us safe. Though it's disappointing this bill drives up the defense budget while priorities like education, health care, and transportation continue to get slashed, I'm hopeful that we can strike the right balance that supports our military, while also providing funding to better educate our kids, fix our highways, and help Native families."

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