U.S. Senators Monday passed the annual defense bill which includes more than 30 Georgia military priorities.
Both U.S. Senators David Perdue (R-GA) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) praised the actions of their peers after the The John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 passed the Senate by a vote of 85-10.
“Our nation faces evolving threats across the globe, and our women and men in uniform need our full support,” said Sen. Perdue — who as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee was an active participant in discussions around this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). “President Trump is working with Congress to rebuild and modernize our military capabilities. This defense bill delivers the necessary resources to see this mission through. With nine military installations across the state, Georgia’s military community plays a key role in fulfilling the Trump Administration’s National Defense Strategy. This bill gives our bases the tools they need to continue defending Americans at home and abroad.”
Sen. Isakson stressed that the annual defense bill will help ensure military assets in Georgia are protected and that service members and their families are provided for while helping grow personnel strength in the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps.
“Georgia’s military installations play a critical role in our national security and readiness, and the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act demonstrates that we’re committed to protecting them and all of our warfighters whose dedication to our protection is unrivaled,” said Isakson. “Congress and the President are united in supporting our military with action when it comes to our national defense and our men and women in uniform.”
According to Isakson, the bill secures the largest pay increase in nearly 10 years for active-duty troops, and provides numerous benefits to Georgia’s dozen military installations.
At Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base in St. Marys, Ga., the authorization provides $3 billion for Columbia-class submarines, which will replace the current Ohio-class fleet.
The defense bill includes the following provisions important to Georgia’s military community:
* Military Equipment: Ensures funding for a wide range of military equipment produced by businesses across the state of Georgia. This will include a boost for Columbia Class submarines at Kings Bay, as well as the production of C-130 aircraft in Marietta, F-35s across the state, and Compass Call aircraft in Savannah.
* STEM: Directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to develop competitive strategies to incentivize STEM hiring in Georgia and across the nation.
* Cyber: Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to establish Cyber Institutes at colleges and universities that have Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, with special consideration for Georgia’s Senior Military Colleges. This also directs the DOD to partner with universities and industry on cyber education and training.
* JSTARS: Prohibits the retirement of any aircraft in the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) fleet, which is flown out of Robins Air Force Base, and secures funding for critical upgrades to enhance the operability and service life of aircraft.
* Infrastructure: Addresses the necessity to improve infrastructure, increase resiliency, and ensure the long-term sustainment of all of our Georgia bases.
* Research and Development: Provides funding for a range of initiatives at universities and businesses across the state and will include advanced technologies, munitions, and cyber testing and training facilities at Fort Gordon.
* Readiness: Secures funding for the re-winging of A-10 aircraft based at Moody Air Force Base, promotes military spouse employment at bases across the state, and reaffirms the need for the civilian depot workforce at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany and Robins Air Force Base.
* Operations: Directs the Secretary of Defense to initiate a joint approach on electromagnetic spectrum operations, which will make Georgia bases critical to the entire DOD in the electromagnetic spectrum field.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed its own version of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act in May, and the two fiscal year 2019 defense authorization measures will now go to a joint House-Senate conference committee where negotiators will work out differences between the bills.
