National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019

Floor Speech

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Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, as everyone in this Chamber knows, passing the Defense authorization bill is a tradition that has taken place without interruption for 56 years. That means that, regardless of political party or the disagreements we may have on other issues, we can agree on this: the importance of a strong national defense.

This year, we consider the National Defense Authorization Act against the backdrop of a changing world. America faces challenges from nations seeking to upend our rules-based international order. These nations aim to undermine the United States and her allies and disrupt the American- led system of international commerce and security that has been the foundation of global prosperity since the end of World War II.

America is at a crossroads, and as we look out at the forces that threaten our security, we need to be ready to defend our way of life. In Europe, a newly emboldened Russia under the control of Putin seeks every opportunity to exert its malign influence, undermine democracies, flaunt international law, and bully our NATO allies. In Asia, expansionist China is working to coerce its neighbors, invest millions in military modernization, construct illegal artificial islands, and challenge American leadership across the globe. In short, we have reentered an era of great power competition.

If we value our security and our prosperity, we must be prepared to support the men and women of our military so that they are able to win in this environment. Earlier this year, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis presented Congress with a national defense strategy. This blueprint for the Nation's defense thoroughly emphasizes the fact that interstate competition is now the focus of our U.S. national security. The priorities laid out in the NDS provide a road map for confronting these challenges head-on. Now is the time to fund them.

That is why I am proud to stand before you in support of the fiscal year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act. With this legislation, we take important steps to ensure that our Nation's defense is ready to deter and defeat great-power adversaries. This year's NDAA provides $716 billion in fiscal year 2019 for the national defense--a direct investment in building an agile, capable force that is prepared to take on the threats of the 21st century.

This authorization closely aligns with the core tenets of the NDS. It provides keen investments in modernization priorities to help America defeat threats identified by Secretary Mattis and position our forces to be more lethal against our major foes. First and foremost, this legislation fully supports the sustainment and the modernization of our nuclear forces.

I serve as the chair of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, whose jurisdiction includes nuclear forces, missile defense, and the national security of our space programs. The subcommittee increased investments in each of these areas in order to speed the development of next- generation capabilities and to meet the unfunded priorities of the military service branches and of our warfighters.

Additionally, the bill before us today fully supports the administration's 2018 ``Nuclear Posture Review,'' which charts a responsible path forward to make sure that our nuclear forces continue to deter strategic attacks on our homeland and also to assure our allies. Across all spectrums, this legislation helps to support the needs of the warfighter and the goals of our national security.

At sea, the fiscal year 2019 NDAA includes over $23 billion for shipbuilding, to fully fund 10 new combat ships and accelerate funding for several future ships so that we can continue to ensure free navigation across the world's oceans. On land, it authorizes more than $1.5 billion to procure 135 Abrams tanks and authorizes $190 million to prototype the next-generation combat vehicle, which is $70 million more than the administration's request, to ensure that we are prepared to fight and that we are prepared to fight and to win. In the air, it ensures that our forces are ready by authorizing nearly $400 million for the RC-135 family of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms, which are proudly headquartered at the 55th Wing, at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska.

Though the threats of today are pressing, we must continue preparing to meet and defeat the adversaries of tomorrow. That is why this legislation makes significant investments in building the future force.

To keep our military a step ahead, this NDAA authorizes an increase of more than $600 million above the administration's request for science, technology, and testing programs, including $75 million for university research conducted at innovative locations like the University of Nebraska. All told, the fiscal year 2019 NDAA provides a wide spectrum of investments that will help our military to stay ahead and to ensure that we never have to face an adversary with equal capabilities.

Just as importantly, this bill demonstrates the belief of the Senate that the most important asset in our arsenal is not a weapons platform but the men and women who wear the uniform. With that in mind, the fiscal year 2019 NDAA provides a 2.6-percent pay raise for members of the Armed Forces, and it authorizes nearly $146 billion for military personnel, including costs of pay, allowances, bonuses, and benefits. We all know that meeting the challenges of tomorrow means having the best talent. It also means having a process in place to incentivize career progress and retain those uniformed servicemembers who excel in their fields.

That is why this legislation also makes important, much needed reforms that will modernize our personnel system. For decades, the personnel management system has remained stagnant. Now, with the reforms included in this bill, we have the opportunity to bring the system in line with the changing needs of the modern military. The fiscal year 2019 NDAA lays the ground work for new career flexibility and provides additional opportunities for the highest performers to advance, opening doors to allow the best and the brightest to take on tomorrow's leadership roles.

At the end of the day, we must be prepared to face an uncertain future. This bill is about ensuring America's security in a volatile world. As the national defense strategy made clear, our Nation is faced with ``a security environment more complex and volatile than any we have experienced in recent memory.''

I think all of us in this Chamber can agree that this environment requires us to stand united and to stand ready as a nation. For that reason, I am proud to say that this year's Defense authorization bill expands our capabilities across every domain to meet these threats. Ultimately, passing this legislation is about fulfilling the promise we made to our men and women in uniform to give them the best tools to wage the most effective fight and to ensure that America is never outmatched on the battlefield.

There may be much uncertainty in this world, but you can count on this: There is no more professional, dedicated, or lethal fighting force in the world than the U.S. military. Let's vote to keep it that way.

I thank the Presiding Officer.

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