By an overwhelming vote of 312-112, the House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act on Wednesday. The Georgia delegation was somewhat split on the bill – all but one Republican voted yes (give you one guess which Republican that was) and Reps. Sanford Bishop (D-GA 2) and Lucy McBath (D-GA 7) were the two Democrats out of five to vote in favor.
“This year’s defense bill provides our service members with the tools, resources and respect they deserve, including a well-earned 3.8% pay increase,” said Congressman Bishop. “This bipartisan legislation responsibly strengthens our national security, supports our troops, and invests in the readiness and wellbeing of military families. It ensures the United States remains strong both at home and alongside our allies abroad.”
The bill authorizes $890 billion for the Department of Defense, after months of work in the House and Senate Armed Services Committees. Perhaps the most notable of items in the bill is the 3.8 percent military pay increase, a significant boon for the more than 50,000 active duty military and their families that are stationed in Georgia. Many of those are in Bishop’s second district, which includes Fort Benning and Robins Air Force Base, as well as the Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany.
“I will continue to fight to ensure we take care of our military families as well as our servicemembers who protect our country across the world and here at home,” added Congressman Bishop, who also serves as the co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Military Family Caucus. That Caucus worked to ensure that the bill also included improvements for housing, childcare, education, mental health services and military health care, all items that are critical for military families and their communities.
Over in Rep. Buddy Carter’s (R-GA 1) district, home to Fort Stewart, Hunter Army Airfield and Kings Bay, they received more than $320 million in funding. The majority of this funding was dedicated to two different projects, more than $100 million for the Fort Stewart barracks and $119 million for the Trident refit facility expansion at Kings Bay – home of the Atlantic Fleet’s ballistic missile nuclear submarines. Additionally, Hunter Army Airfield and Fort Stewart will receive $25.4 million for joint power generation and grid improvements.
“Coastal Georgia is a strong military community, and it’s important that we have the world-class resources that our world-class troops deserve. I’m proud to have advocated for and supported this funding, which will cement our district’s leadership in President Trump’s peace through strength agenda,” said Rep. Carter.
The bill will now head to the U.S. Senate for consideration. The bill did include some measures that may frustrate the White House, including language the makes it more difficult to draw down troops stationed in Europe, a key piece of the National Security Strategy recently outlined by the White House.
