[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 118 (Thursday, July 13, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H5770]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             PROVIDING FOR THE COMMON DEFENSE OF OUR NATION

  (Mr. ALLEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the fiscal year 2018 
National Defense Authorization Act.
  With the hard work of the Armed Services Committee, this year's NDAA 
will begin to rebuild our military after years of spending cuts. Our 
troops have been facing a readiness crisis due to consistent 
underfunding.
  This important legislation will begin to address the crisis with key 
investments in military readiness, and it fully funds a 2.4 percent, 
well-deserved pay raise for our troops.
  In the 12th District of Georgia, we are at the forefront of cyber 
innovation, with the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence located at 
Fort Gordon. I am happy to say that the NDAA will fully fund cyber 
operations with an increase of $1.7 billion from fiscal year `17 and 
provides over $85 billion in military construction and Army Family 
Housing funds.
  It is our constitutional obligation as Members of Congress to provide 
for the common defense of the Nation. I believe that, with the passage 
of the fiscal year `18 NDAA, we are meeting our obligation to keep 
America safe, close the critical readiness gap, and rebuild the 21st 
century military.

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