“The fact is, the NDAA is a piece of legislation in which this body—and members on both sides of the aisle—can and should take immense pride. Not only does this legislation provide our men and women in uniform with the resources they need and deserve, it is the product of an open and bipartisan process that represents the best of the U.S. Senate … The NDAA is legislation that will deliver to our Armed Forces the resources, equipment, and training they need to meet the increasingly complex challenges of today’s world. And it will begin the process of rebuilding our military after years of devastating defense budget cuts.” – SASC Chairman John McCain Speaking on the Senate Floor Today

**Watch Chairman McCain**

Washington, D.C. ­– U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, delivered the following remarks on the floor of the U.S. Senate today to open debate on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (NDAA):

“Mr. President:

“Today, our nation commemorates the 16th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that took the lives of thousands of innocent Americans. We all join in solemn remembrance of the victims, and our hearts go out to their families.

“September 11th is a fitting date for the Senate to begin consideration of the defense authorization bill. The anniversary of those horrific terrorist attacks should serve as a reminder of the reason why brave young Americans are currently deployed around the world, fighting on behalf of freedom. I urge my colleagues to keep in mind the meaning of this day throughout the consideration of this important legislation, which will provide our men and women in uniform the resources, equipment, and support they need to keep our nation safe.

“I would like to extend my thanks to the Majority Leader for his willingness to move expeditiously to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 and for his leadership. I would also like to thank Armed Services Committee’s Ranking Member, the Senator from Rhode Island, for his hard work on the NDAA. I remain appreciative of the thoughtfulness and bipartisan spirit with which he approaches national security issues.

“The fact is, the NDAA is a piece of legislation in which this body—and members on both sides of the aisle—can and should take immense pride. Not only does this legislation provide our men and women in uniform with the resources they need and deserve, it is the product of an open and bipartisan process that represents the best of the U.S. Senate.

“The Senate Armed Services Committee passed the FY18 NDAA unanimously by a vote of 27-0. That means that all 14 Republican members and 13 Democratic members of the Committee voted in favor of this legislation. During the markup, the Committee considered and adopted 277 amendments that were offered by both Republicans and Democrats. And now, we hope to consider the legislation on the floor under an open amendment process that will allow all senators to have their voices heard.

“This process, which is exactly how legislation is supposed to make its way through the Senate, has become disappointingly rare. For too long, partisanship and politics have triumphed over principle and policy. This legislation is an opportunity for us to reverse that trend and restore regular order in the U.S. Senate.

“The need for this legislation is self-apparent to anyone paying attention to today’s world. Global terrorist networks, increasing great power competition with Russia and China, malign Iranian influence spreading across the Middle East, a North Korean dictator racing to acquire missiles that can hit the United States with nuclear weapons—the threats to our national security have not been more complex or daunting than at any time in the past seven decades. And we must also remember that we are a nation at war, with brave young men and women deployed in Afghanistan and around the world.

“The NDAA is legislation that will deliver to our Armed Forces the resources, equipment, and training they need to meet the increasingly complex challenges of today’s world. And it will begin the process of rebuilding our military after years of devastating defense budget cuts.

“The NDAA authorizes a base defense budget that, together with the administration’s request of $8 billion for other defense activities, supports a total defense budget of $640 billion in funding for the Department of Defense and the national security programs of the Department of Energy. The legislation also authorizes $60 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations. In total, the NDAA supports a national defense topline of $700 billion.

“This funding is critical to begin addressing the readiness shortfall and modernization crisis caused by the self-inflicted wounds of the Budget Control Act, sequestration, and repeated continuing resolutions. We need look no further than recent headlines of an alarming number of fatal incidents during routine training operations for evidence of the deteriorated state of our military.

“These ship collisions and aviation accidents are taking the lives of our service members at an alarming rate. In the last three years, in fact, we have killed four times as many of our own soldiers in peacetime training operations than our enemies have in combat. While there is plenty of responsibility to go around, we cannot ignore Congress’s role—years of budget cuts have forced our military to try to do too much with too little.

“Meanwhile, our adversaries are investing heavily in their own militaries and developing future warfare capabilities intended to erode our military advantage. Simply put, we cannot wait any longer to recapitalize our forces and restore our capabilities.

“Another important aspect of the NDAA is that it builds on the reforms this Congress has passed in recent years. By continuing important efforts to reorganize the Department of Defense, spur innovation in defense technology, and improve defense acquisition and business operations, the NDAA seeks to strengthen accountability and streamline the process of getting our warfighters what they need to succeed. At the same time, it prioritizes accountability from the Department and demands the best use of every taxpayer dollar.

“The NDAA will also improve the quality of life for our men and women in uniform and those who support them. The legislation authorizes a 2.1 percent pay raise for our troops. It improves military family readiness and supports the civilians and contractors who work together with our Armed Forces to achieve the mission.

“Finally, the NDAA provides necessary assistance for our allies and partners around the world who are dedicated to advancing the cause of freedom, deterring the aggression of our adversaries, and defeating the scourge of terrorism.

“These are the reasons why this legislation is more vital than ever. Congress’s most important constitutional responsibility is providing for the common defense. The consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act each year is one of the ways we live up to that duty.”

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