Hal Rogers: “I urge our colleagues to support this Defense spending bill for 2015. This bipartisan legislation provides $491 billion…”

“I urge our colleagues to support this Defense spending bill for 2015. This bipartisan legislation provides $491 billion in discretionary funding for our Nation's highest duty, and that is the security of country, the sustainment of our military operations, and the well-being of the brave men and women of our Armed Forces. The bill before you today, Mr. Chairman, will help meet the most pressing needs of our military as we address current and arising threats to the safety of our Nation in an ever-changing global landscape. It also takes into account the ongoing challenges of our current fiscal situation, finding ways to trim excess spending and reduce lower priority programs without negatively affecting our troops or the success of our military missions. Providing our military with the highest standard of readiness is a top priority in this bill. This includes procuring important equipment and resources, supporting troop training and flight time, and maintaining our bases and facilities. The bill marks investments in important defense technology R&D to help advance the safety and success of our military operations now and into the future. Investments like these will help to preserve our military's status as the most effective and capable in the world. The backbone of our military is, of course, the brave men and women who lay their lives on the line in defense of this Nation.…”