U.S. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-TX), along with two retired generals now serving their first terms in Congress, U.S. Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE) and Jack Bergman (R-MI) highlighted their support for provisions to raise military pay 2.4 percent and add active-duty personnel included in the House-approved FY 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Specifically, the NDAA, H.R. 2810, would authorize almost $700 billion for national defense, a $26 billion boost above what President Donald Trump requested. The conference report passed the House on Tuesday in a bipartisan vote of 356-70.
Thornberry said the funds are critical at this time.
“Unfortunately, as the world has become more dangerous, we have cut the resources for our troops,” he said. “This year, again and again, we have seen the tragic consequences of asking our troops to do more with less.”
For instance, Thornberry said serious accidents are increasing, highly qualified troops with critical skills are leaving the U.S. military branches “and our allies and enemies alike are questioning our commitments.”
Although it may take the nation more than a year and more than one bill “to rebuild the strength that we have squandered,” Thornberry said the NDAA is an important start. “It begins to rebuild our military strength; it gives our troops a much-needed pay raise; it replaces equipment that is just too broken to keep fixing,” he said.
First-term Rep. Bacon, who retired from the U.S. Air Force as a brigadier general and who served as a House NDAA conferee, said he was “pleased by the strong consensus we have forged in Congress to repair the damage done to our Armed Forces.”
Bacon added that it’s important to send “a strong bipartisan message to the American people that restoring our military readiness is a national priority.”
Rep. Bergman agreed that the overall NDAA package would provide the U.S. military with the resources needed to successfully defend the nation and its allies.
“Training, maintenance and resources are integral to the readiness of our warriors and this is a great step towards that goal,” said Bergman, a retired three-star Marine Corps lieutenant general and NDAA conferee.
Bergman pointed out that the bill also would create jobs in the Upper Peninsula of his home state by funding three more U.S. Navy Littoral warships and he cited the bill’s provisions for improving military sexual assault prevention, as well as enhancing acquisitions through competition and better oversight.
The bill now awaits Senate approval, which is expected this week, before being sent to President Trump for his signature.
Thornberry urged members to follow up approval of the NDAA with an appropriations bill at the same levels or else “none of this work can begin.”
“Securing those appropriations must be Congress’s top priority before the year ends,” added Thornberry.