Hal Rogers: “I thank the chairman for yielding time. I rise in support of this fine bill. This bill provides critical funding to…”

“I thank the chairman for yielding time. I rise in support of this fine bill. This bill provides critical funding to uphold our defense posture, maintain our military readiness, and protect our Nation from those who would seek to do us harm. The world, of course, is changing rapidly. We are reminded regularly that we are still a Nation at war, and new threats arise daily. It is clear that a strong national defense is of the highest priority. In total, as has been said, the bill contains $575.8 billion in base and Overseas Contingency Operations funding for critical national security needs, and the health and well-being of our troops. The use of OCO funds in this bill is in line with the National Defense Authorization Act that the House passed on a bipartisan basis last month. This funding will provide the resources that our military needs to be successful in the fight right now, and that will improve our readiness for the future. This includes over $209 billion for operations and maintenance, the programs that help prepare our troops, like flight time and battle training, as well as base operations. The bill also includes $120.8 billion for equipment and upgrades, providing the weapons and platforms needed to fight and win in the field. And to improve this equipment, develop and test new technologies, and meet future security threats, the bill contains $70.8 billion for research and development.…”