Reforms and Resources our Military Needs

Washington, D.C. – House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA-23) released the following statement on House passage of H.R. 4909, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY 2017:

“Beyond providing funding for our troops and starting to address the readiness crisis in our military, this defense authorization bill institutes some much needed reforms. Building on last year’s work, this NDAA continues to push for acquisition reform so that we get better equipment to our military men and women at a more reasonable cost to the taxpayer. The bill will also improve access to high quality medical care for our troops and their families, along with a pay raise to our service personnel because the most important part of our military is the men and women who serve. Our military needs these reforms and the resources authorized in this legislation. And our allies need this bill as well, as we reaffirm our strong support for NATO and provide additional resources to deter Russia.

“I want to thank Chairman Mac Thornberry (TX-16) for bringing together both sides of the aisle to produce this strong piece of legislation. I am disappointed that so many Democrats have decided at the last minute to turn their backs on a bill that passed committee with such strong bipartisan support. National defense should never be made into a partisan issue. Despite this, I urge the President to consider the legislation on its merits and put an end to his misguided opposition.”