Roby: NDAA Increases Strength, Agility of our Military

Press Release

U.S. Representative Martha Roby (R-Ala.) today released a statement following House passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), annual legislation needed to authorize funding and policy for our military.

"The National Defense Authorization Act allows us to make real progress towards increasing the strength and agility of our military," Roby said. "Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution instructs Congress to "provide for the common defense,' and this legislation enables us to fulfill that responsibility."

After today's House passage, the Senate is expected send the bill to the President for signing, marking 55 consecutive years that the NDAA has been signed into law.

Specifically, the National Defense Authorization Act:
Contains $619 billion total for national defense
Provides $5.8 billion in supplemental funding for operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Europe
Supplies an additional $3.2 billion for Readiness Stabilization Funding in an effort to stop additional reductions of the military
Includes critical funding for Army helicopters
$882 million for 52 AH-64 Apache helicopters
$755 million for 36 new UH-60M multiuse Black Hawks for the Army and National Guard
$126 million for the Improved Turbine Engine Program -- a program essential to the development of a next generation engine for Blackhawk and Apache helicopter platforms
Supports the Littoral Combat Ship program (LCS) by providing $1.1 million for two new Littoral Combat Ship
Provides a 2.1% pay raise for our troops
Maintains the current Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH), including for dual military families
Improves access to health care for our troops and their families
Prohibits the transfer of detainees at Guantanamo Bay to the United States, prohibits closure of the facility, and prohibits the transfer of the naval base to Cuba
Provides the resources to combat Islamic extremists and to assist foreign security forces, such as the Kurds and Sunnis, to fight ISIS
Supports our European allies to counter Russian aggression and funds the Israeli Cooperative Missile Defense programs
Delivers improved technology to the warfighter faster
"The Fiscal Year 2017 NDAA authorizes funding for the Department of Defense so that our service men and women have the tools and resources necessary to do their jobs. I'm pleased that the House took this critical step to support our troops and keep Americans safe.

"I look forward to working with the Trump Administration early next year to provide additional resources to fully fund unmet procurement needs, ensuring that our military -- from the Generals making strategic decisions at the Pentagon to the warfighter on the front lines -- have all that they need to defend our nation."

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