Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Jody Hice (R-GA), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, today issued the following statement after the passage of H.R. 695, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2018. This measure appropriates $659.2 billion for the Department of Defense for a full year, including $584 billion in base funding and $75.1 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding.

“It is absolutely critical that we provide predictable, consistent, and uninterrupted funding to our military to ensure that they have the resources necessary to successfully carry out their missions,” said Congressman Hice. “While I’m frustrated that the Senate has not yet brought either of the House-passed appropriations bills to the Floor, I’m hopeful that they will take action to ensure that our Armed Forces have the tools they require to protect and defend our homeland. The American people must have full confidence in our government to fulfill its most fundamental responsibility to keep our citizens safe, and I am proud to have voted – again – to support our men and women in uniform.”

Specifically, this bill:

·         Adds $4.7 billion in emergency missile defense programs and ship-repair funds to bolster our Navy;

·         Authorizes a 2.4% pay raise for military personnel;

·         Provides $34 billion to the Defense Health program, which provides high-quality medical care to troops, military families, and retirees;

·         Increases funding for research and development of new defense technologies to $84.3 billion;

·         Includes additional funding for increased intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance in South Asia as part of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel;

·         Fully funds cyber operations, including the U.S. Army’s Cyber Center of Excellence at Fort Gordon.

For the full bill text of H.R. 695, click here.

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