Tuesday, U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, cheered the completion of negotiations for the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act.
U.S. Senators Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., and Jack Reed, D-R.I., chairman and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Representatives Adam Smith, D-Wash., and Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, chairman and ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, announced the details of the agreement late Monday, which will authorize funding for the Department of Defense and other national security programs.
“This agreement is a major victory for the brave men and women we count on to defend our nation,” Wicker said. “With this consensus, Congress can fulfill our most basic responsibility to provide for the common defense and give our service members the resources they need to keep us safe.”
“I commend the chairmen and ranking members of both the Senate and House Armed Services Committees for their diligent work to complete these negotiations. With the increasing threats from countries like Russia, China, and Iran, it is imperative that we get this year’s defense bills to the President’s desk without delay.”
The agreement, known as the Conference Report for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, authorizes a topline figure of $738 billion for national defense, which is consistent with the recent bipartisan budget agreement.
For a full summary of the conference report, click here.