Conference Report on S. 2943, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017
Floor Speech
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Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Mac Thornberry for yielding. I am grateful for his success in promoting peace through strength.
I am in strong support of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2017. Generations of my family have served our Nation in uniform. My father was a Flying Tiger in India and China during World War II. I served for 31 years in the Army Reserve and South Carolina Army Guard.
I am grateful to have four sons who have served in the military overseas in the global war on terrorism.
I know firsthand the positive impact this year's NDAA will have on our troops, veterans, and military families. After passing this bill, I look forward to telling my constituents at Fort Jackson, adjacent to McEntire Joint Air Base, neighboring Fort Gordon, and the thousands of veterans and countless families concerned about the safety of our citizens that Congress has done its job, just as it has for the past 54 years, by passing a defense authorization bill.
In this bill, readiness is first, protecting our servicemembers overseas and on training missions at home.
Cybersecurity is enhanced, protecting American families and encouraging public-private partnerships. We are fully resourcing our Special Operations Forces and providing critical support to fight Islamic terrorists, including counter-propaganda measures. We have increased oversight by requiring a report from the President on Iran as it aggressively acts on ICBMs.
This bill is clear, if our enemies attack our soldiers and American families with new and unconventional attacks, we will ensure our military has the tools to respond. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, I am very grateful as a military veteran and as a grateful dad that this is a very positive NDAA.
I would like to close again by thanking Chairman Thornberry for his remarkable persistence throughout this year's reforms. We also have been fortunate to have the visionary leadership of subcommittee chairman Randy Forbes, who has successfully promoted a vibrant Navy. I additionally want to thank our ranking members Adam Smith and Jim Langevin for their bipartisan manner. This bill will enable President- elect Donald Trump and the incoming Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to establish peace through strength.
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