Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to authorize necessary funds for the Department of Defense to provide our military with the tools they need to defend our country.
“The defense of our nation is a top priority, as is ensuring active duty military preparedness and caring for our Veterans,” said Congressman Bilirakis. “The NDAA is a vital piece of legislation and I’m proud to join my colleagues to further our efforts to help our nation’s heroes.”
The National Defense Authorization Act authorizes a 2.3% military pay raise for the members of our Armed Forces, provides a new retirement benefit for the 83% of our troops who currently do not receive such benefits, allows for new cyber tools, and provides additional resources for transitioning servicemembers into the workforce.
This legislation will also require the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State to jointly submit to the appropriate congressional committees an assessment of the military capability of the Republic of Cyprus to defend against threats to its national security. The language will have the United States assess the current arms embargo in light of contemporary military demands and evaluate if it still comports with our strategic desires.
“It is important that we work to not only defend our nation, but also help our allies combat the global threats they face,” said Congressman Bilirakis, co-chair of both the Hellenic Caucus and Congressional Hellenic Israel Alliance. “As the war on terror, refugee crisis, and other threats persist around the world, we must work to explore ways our U.S. policies can be utilized to provide technical and security support to our longtime friends and allies.”
Congressman Bilirakis was a member of the National Defense Authorization Act Conference Committee. This legislation is a product of the committee’s bipartisan, bicameral work.
Learn more about the Congressman’s efforts to support our military here.
