Senate Passes Critical National Defense Authorization Act FY2018

ARRA News Service: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) made the following summary remarks regarding the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2018:
Today, “The Senate acted to send the president one of the most important policy bills we consider each year: the National Defense Authorization Act. Not only will this legislation authorize the resources, capabilities, pay and benefits that our men and women in uniform need to perform their missions, but this year’s bill also goes further. It takes a notable step toward authorizing the resources needed to start rebuilding our military and restoring combat readiness. It will help improve our missile defense capabilities and better-prepare us to deal with cyber threats.

“It will authorize a well-deserved pay raise for our men and women in uniform while providing for continued reform of the benefits that they and their families rely upon — and it will support the thousands of military servicemembers and families serving at military installations in Kentucky and in the Kentucky National Guard. Further, this bill strives to bring reform to the Pentagon.

“... it will ‘[build] upon the sweeping reforms that Congress has passed in recent years.’ ..."This authorization bill authorizes FY2018 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation.

The bill authorizes appropriations to DOD for: (1) Procurement, including aircraft, missiles, weapons and tracked combat vehicles, ammunition, shipbuilding and conversion, space procurement, and other procurement; (2) Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation; (3) Operation and Maintenance; (4) Working Capital Funds; (5) the Joint Urgent Operational Needs Fund; (6) Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction; (7) Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities; (8) the Defense Inspector General; (9) the Defense Health Program; (10) the Armed Forces Retirement Home; (11) Overseas Contingency Operations; and (12) Military Construction.

The bill also authorizes the FY2018 personnel strength for active duty and reserve forces and sets forth policies regarding compensation and other personnel benefits, the Ready Reserve Force and Military Sealift Command surge fleet, and matters relating to foreign nations.

The Republican-controlled House had previously voted 356-70 for the annual National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, which authorizes the level of defense spending and sets policies controlling how the money is spent.

Today the Senate passed by voice vote the annual National Defense Authorization Act. The bill was sent to the President.

Senator John Boozman (R-AR) detailed that the bill requires the Department of Defense to deliver a report by March 2018 on the need and requirements to centrally locate manufacturing, storage and distribution of designated Chemical Biological Defense Equipment at defense department arsenals, like Pine Bluff Arsenal.

The bill also includes $129 million to modernize the C-130 Hercules fleet to continue the Air Force mission at Little Rock Air Force Base and $20 million to build a dormitory at the base.

Other NDAA highlights include:

• Authorizes a 2.4 percent pay raise for our troops;
• Preserves basic allowance for housing (BAH) benefits for military families;
• Preserves Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance (SSIA) payments to surviving military spouses;
• Supports the Arkansas defense industrial base by authorizing an additional $183.5 million to address an Army unfunded requirement to maximize production capacity of Excalibur 155mm precision guided artillery rounds.

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Tags: Senate, House pass, NDAA, National Defence Appropriations Act,  FY2018 appropriations To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and "Like" Facebook Page - Thanks!