MacArthur Applauds Passage of Nation's Defense Bil

Statement

Congressman MacArthur today applauded the final passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2018:

Our nation's defense bill will provide our troops with the tools and resources they need to defend our country both at home and abroad, while also strengthening the future of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and thousands of New Jersey jobs.

The NDAA will increase the size of our military, rebuild our military facilities, and increase our missile defense funding to protect our homeland and ensure the readiness of our troops around the world. It also honors our troops and their families by giving them the largest pay raise in 8 years and providing permanent payments to surviving military spouses. Our servicemen and women, and their families sacrifice so much for our freedom and we have a moral obligation to care for them.

Importantly, the NDAA provides Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst with $146.5 million for construction that will support the new KC-46 refueling tankers. These tankers will ensure Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst remains our nation's premier air mobility installation and protects the livelihood of the over 42,000 New Jerseyans who are employed at the base. I fought to secure the tankers for JB MDL, along with many of colleagues, and am grateful our hard work paid off.

Supporting our military and protecting our country should never be a partisan issue and I'm glad members of both parties were able to come together and support this vital legislation.

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