President Reagan was absolutely right when he said that “​​peace is not obtained by wishing or weakness;” it’s obtained and guarded by the strength and readiness of the American Armed Forces. This week, the House and Senate passed the annual National Defense Authorization Act to make sure that legacy continues.

This year’s defense bill represents a historic investment in peace by making sure we are prepared to counter aggression wherever it exists around the globe. Here are a few big wins I helped secure in this year’s package:

We invested in our military readiness, gave our servicemembers at Fairchild the largest pay raise in more than two decades, and reduced costs for military families – all in one bill! I’m especially proud that my legislation called the MARITIME Act was included to combat Iranian aggression in the Middle East. This could not come at a more important time as Iranian-backed terrorists like Hamas and Hezbollah continue to attack Israel from all directions – by land, air, and sea.

This bill was a huge bipartisan win for our servicemembers and national security, and I look forward to the president signing it into law.

Click here to read more about the MARITIME Act.

Click here to read the National Defense Authorization Act.