National Defense Authorization Bill

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, before we adjourn this week, the Senate will also finalize the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019. Once we pass the conference report this week, this important legislation will head to the President's desk to become law, and we will have fulfilled one of this body's most solemn responsibilities.

The NDAA builds on the progress we made earlier this year in the bipartisan budget agreement, which provided for the largest year-on- year increase in funding for American Armed Forces in 15 years. This legislation authorizes programs that will contribute to the combat readiness of America's military to meet emerging and persistent global threats. It helps to ensure that our servicemembers and their families will receive the full support of a grateful Nation. When we pass the fiscal year 2019 National Defense Appropriations Act, which funds these programs, we will have gone yet further in meeting our commitments to an all-volunteer force.

The NDAA has global and nationwide significance, but it also has tremendous local importance. In representing the Commonwealth of Kentucky, I know just how significant an impact this legislation will have on some of our Nation's finest.

At Fort Campbell, members of the 101st Airborne Division and a number of Special Operations units will benefit from the authorization of new investments in their training facilities.

At Fort Knox, the Army's Human Resources Command and Recruiting Command will receive the support they need to modernize officer personnel management, and the post will receive much needed certainty and authority for its energy savings program.

At the Blue Grass Army Depot, critical work to support chemical weapons demilitarization will continue because this bill authorizes the resources necessary to conduct safe operations.

Servicemembers will benefit from a well-deserved raise in military pay and expanded authority for military family housing and education.

So none of my colleagues need to look far to find examples of how the needs of our servicemembers will be met by the legislation before us.

Our colleagues on the Armed Services Committee carefully developed it. It reflects more than 300 amendments, and it rightly bears the name of our colleague and friend John McCain. I know he is proud of all this legislation accomplishes for our men and women in uniform.

I also thank the senior Senator from Oklahoma and the ranking member from Rhode Island for steering this bill through conference. I look forward to sending it to the President's desk this week.

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