U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., voted to deliver warfighters the training, resources, adaptability and equipment necessary to confront evolving global threats.
 
The John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, S.2987, passed the U.S. Senate today by a vote of 85-10. The annual defense bill will help ensure that our military assets in Georgia are protected and that our service members and their families are provided for while helping grow personnel strength in the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps.
 
“Georgia’s military installations play a critical role in our national security and readiness, and theJohn S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act demonstrates that we’re committed to protecting them and all of our warfighters whose dedication to our protection is unrivaled,” said Isakson. “Congress and the president are united in supporting our military with action when it comes to our national defense and our men and women in uniform.”
 
In addition to delivering all of our active-duty troops the largest pay increase in nearly 10 years, the fiscal year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act provides numerous benefits to Georgia’s dozen military installations.
 
At Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base in St. Marys, Ga., the authorization provides $3 billion for Columbia-class submarines, which will replace the current Ohio-class fleet.
 
The authorization prohibits the retirement of any aircraft in the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System platform, known as JSTARS and based at Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Ga., and secures additional funding to extend the service life of aircraft. Additionally, this bill invests in the next generation Air Battle Management System, which the Air Force has already announced will be hosted at Robins AFB.
 
The bill authorizes more funding and authority to the Department of Defense to improve cyber capabilities and cybersecurity technology training. The increase in funding and authority will greatly strengthen capability and capacity at Fort Gordon, Ga., home to the U.S. Army’s Cyber Center of Excellence.
 
Additionally, as one of four major themes in the defense bill, the legislation supports modernization efforts across the Department of Defense. Almost $3 billion is authorized to design, improve or procure new heavy- and light-armed vehicles. This will increase the lethality of U.S. Army armored and infantry units, which are located at the U.S. Army’s premier armor and infantry training programs at Fort Benning, Ga.
 
The national defense authorization also includes additional provisions for C-130J aircraft, including authorizing the Air Force to enter one or more multiyear contracts for advanced procurement of C-130J aircraft. The manufacturing of these aircraft employs thousands of Georgians at the Lockheed Martin facility in Marietta, Ga.
 
Previously, Isakson supported the bipartisan fiscal year 2018 government funding measure that was signed into law in March that strengthened our national defense and ended crippling cuts to our national defense by delivering the largest increase to its funding in 15 years.
 
Specifically, H.R.5515 authorizes $639.2 billion in discretionary funding, $68.5 billion in overseas contingency operations, and $8.2 billion in defense-related activities outside National Defense Authorization Act jurisdiction for a total of $715.9 billion. Authorized personnel end-strength numbers are 485,741 in the Army; 331,900 in the Navy; 186,100 in the U.S. Marine Corps; and 325,720 in the U.S. Air Force.
 
The U.S. House of Representatives passed its own version of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act in May, and the two fiscal year 2019 defense authorization measures will now go to a joint House-Senate conference committee where negotiators will work out differences between the bills.