{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=409073", "<span class =\"kicker\">Asbury Park Press article</span>'Bill set to boost Joint Base passes by a wide margin'", "2020-12-15", "2020", "2020-12", "Republican", "Senate", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "George WoolstonBurlington County Times USA TODAY NETWORK -\r\nThe $732 billion bill that sets spending and policy for the U.S. military has passed the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday with bipartisan support.\r\nThe National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) received bipartisan support by passing 335-78, with a total of 140 Republicans and 195 Democrats backing the bill, the Associated Press reported.\r\nSouth Jersey lawmakers consider several provisions in the bill big wins for Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.\r\nAmong those wins include a 3% pay raise for all military personnel, slowing down of the retirement of KC-10 tankers jets over the next three years to ensure their replacement, the KC-46 tanker jets, arrive 100% ready to go at the end of 2021, and authorizing two constructions projects on the base.\r\nWe live in an uncertain world with persistent, credible threats to our nation and our democracy, so it is more important than ever that we support our men and women in uniform and ensure the readiness and modernization of our nation's armed forces while spending our valuable resources wisely, U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross said in a statement following the bill's passing.\r\nNorcross, D-1 of Camden, serves as the chair of the tactical air and land forces (TAL) subcommittee in the House Armed Services Committee.\r\nNorcross, along with fellow New Jersey lawmakers U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, D-3 of Mooreston, U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherill,D-11 of Montclair, and U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-4 of Hamilton, all worked to ensure the security of the Joint Base's future.\r\nThe bill authorizes $37 million total for construction projects on the base  $22 million for a Munitions Storage Area and $15 million for a National Guard Readiness Center. In addition to slowing down the KC-10 tankers and ensuring the new KC-46 tankers arrival, the bill also restricts the premature retirement of KC-135 Stratotankers operated by the New Jersey National Guard.\r\nThe missions of the active duty 305th Air Mobility Wing and its sister Air Force Reserve 514th Air Mobility Wing, as well as the NJ Air National Guard's 108 Air Refueling Wing, have never been more important, Smith said in a statement.\r\nThe Senate passed the measure by a 84-13 margin on Friday.", 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": ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=409073"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.6716789212077856, "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"}