{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://mcsally.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/mcsally-locks-wins-troops-and-arizona-defense-authorization-bill", "McSally Locks in Wins for Troops and Arizona in Defense Authorization Bill", "2017-12-12", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "Martha McSally", "M001197", "mcsally.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC\u2014 President Trump today signed the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes defense spending at $634 billion and contains every single provision that Congresswoman McSally tirelessly fought to include for our troops and Arizona. Her measures include full protection and upgrades for the A-10, EC-130, missile defense, and increases for other defense assets throughout the state\u2014including boosts to space-based missile defense and procurement of additional F-35 Lightning joint strike fighter jets and AH-64E Apache attack helicopters.\n\u201cAmerican men and women are fighting to keep our country safe on the ground, sea, and in the air\u2014but they are armed with decaying equipment, dwindling numbers, and feeble resources. Our military has consistently told us what they need to get the job done, and I am thankful our Commander-in-Chief recognizes the importance of partnering with Congress to give our armed forces the resources necessary to accomplish their mission,\u201d said Rep. McSally. \u201cArizona is spearheading our national defense efforts. Our state is on the cutting edge of developing critical missile defense capabilities to protect America from a North Korea nuclear attack. Southern Arizona is home to cyber operations out of Ft. Huachuca\u2019s NETCOM and the one-of-a-kind A-10 for Close Air Support. The only training location in the world for the F-35A joint strike fighter variant is right here at Luke Air Force Base. By investing in Arizona\u2019s major defense assets, this bill stops the bleeding of our readiness crisis and invests in our troops so our military can continue to be the world\u2019s premier fighting force.\u201d\nThe legislation increases the military\u2019s end strength across all branches, prevents A-10s from being indefinitely grounded by beginning to re-wing\u00a0the fleet, goes above and beyond the President\u2019s request for missile defense pipelines, increases funding for RDT&E of electronic warfare\u2014one of the key missions of Ft. Huachuca\u2014and provides the biggest pay raise for the troops in eight years. It also includes Rep. McSally\u2019s legislation to help prevent suicides and stop non-consensual pornography in the military.\nThe final bill includes the following provisions, championed by Congresswoman McSally, and now enshrined in law:\nStatewide Impacts for Arizona Defense Industry \n Authorizes procurement of\u00a0 90 F-35s (20 more than the President\u2019s request)\n\tProvides for procurement of 71 AH-64E Apache helicopters (10 more than the President\u2019s request)\n\tAdds $4.4 billion above the President's request to meet critical missile defense needs\n\tImproves Foreign Military Sales process to ensure our partners can procure U.S. defense products that support our strategic objectives and industry\n\tAuthorizes additional funding for critical munitions in war reserves by improving manufacturing capacity of the munitions industrial base and accelerating long range precision fires programs\n\tProvides additional funding for guided multiple launch rocket systems tooling for increased capacity\n\tProvides for future continued Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) critical capacity by prohibiting retirement of the U-2 and RQ-4 Global Hawk, authorizing an additional $60 million for 6 Extended Range (ER) Improved Gray Eagle (IGE) Air Vehicles, and increasing funding for development of ISR sensors\n General Provisions addressing military personnel and readiness \n Approves a 2.4% pay raise for our troops.\u00a0 It also extends special pay and bonuses for service-members\n\tIncreases the size of Army, Navy, Air Force, Army Guard and Reserve, Naval and Air Reserve, and Air Guard. These increases include the Chief of Staff of the Army\u2019s unfunded requirement to grow the active Army by 10,000, the Army National Guard by 4,000, and the Army Reserve by 3,000\n\tIncludes the PRIVATE ACT, a bill authored by Rep. McSally to clarify when sharing intimate photos is a military crime\n Provisions impacting Arizona\u2019s major military installations\nFt. Huachuca\n Full funding for the missions at Ft. Huachuca\n\tIncreased funding for total Army personnel at Ft Huachuca\n\tIncreased funding for Research, Development, Testing, & Evaluation to promote future growth for the missions at Ft Huachuca\n\t$30 million for a Ground Transport Equipment Building at Ft Huachuca\n Davis-Monthan Air Force Base\n Full funding for the A-10 fleet, including a $103 million Air Force Unfunded Requirement for new A-10 wing production, $17.5 million for other necessary upgrades, and $6 million for safety inspections\n\tFull funding for the EC-130H \u201cCompass Call,\u201d $108M to build two new aircraft, and a directive to the Air Force to report their plan to upgrade the aircraft for future threats\n\t$22 million for a General Instruction Building at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base\n Luke Air Force Base \n Secures 20 additional F-35s for continuation and expansion of Fifth Generation future airpower\n\tIncludes full funding for F-16 training mission\n  Full funding for the missions at Luke AFB\n Marine Corps Air Station Yuma and U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground\n Provides robust funding for the Marine Corp\u2019s premier aviation training missions, including international partner training\n\tIncludes funding to continue critical counter-unmanned aerial systems testing\n Amendments successfully offered by Congresswoman McSally\n Apache Amendment: Requires the Army and National Guard to brief Congress on a plan to address the shortage of about 230 active duty attack helicopter pilots\n\tNETCOM Amendment: NETCOM out of Ft Huachuca currently monitors 60% of Army Networks and is responsible for the entire Department of Army networks. This amendment consolidates the Army\u2019s communications network into a single network that is secure, integrated, and standards-based\u2014addressing security vulnerabilities\n\tSuicide Prevention Amendment: Extends a suicide prevention program that supports our National Guard and reserves military members through 2018\n\tGender Double Standards Amendment: Directs the Secretary of Defense to review instances where men and women in the military are held to double standards and brief the House Armed Services Committee on any differences the Secretary recommends retaining.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://mcsally.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/mcsally-locks-wins-troops-and-arizona-defense-authorization-bill"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.7619950231164694, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}