WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 14, 2017) – Eastern Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) today released the following statement after the House passed the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (H.R. 2810). This bill rebuilds our military through equipment modernization and improves readiness. It also reforms the way that the Pentagon does business and gives them the tools they need to make better, more responsible decisions.  

“After a half-decade of cuts, we are strengthening our military readiness and restoring our military might. The men and women who keep us safe are our country’s most valuable asset, and we have a responsibility to provide them the resources, care, and pay raise they need, earned, and deserve,” said McMorris Rodgers. “We are putting Americans’ safety and security first by providing much-needed resources to effectively defend our country.”

NOTE: This legislation provides troops with the biggest pay raise in 8 years, permanently preserves Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance (SSIA) to more than 60,000 surviving military spouses, reinvests in our military readiness and troops, and implements new oversight tools as the Department of Defense undergoes its first audit. This legislation passed the House today by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 356 to 70. This legislation is now one step closer to the President’s desk.

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