MacArthur Praises National Defense Authorization Act Passage

Washington, D.C. – Congressman MacArthur today applauded the final passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2019, issuing the following statement:

The passage of NDAA is an important step toward providing our troops with the tools and resources they need to defend our country both at home and abroad, while also strengthening the future of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and thousands of New Jersey jobs.

The NDAA will reaffirm our commitment to our men and women in uniform by fully funding the largest pay raise for our troops in nine years. Our servicemen and women, and their families sacrifice so much for our freedom and we have a moral obligation to care for them.

Importantly, this bipartisan NDAA does not authorize a Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission protecting the Joint Base and the vital role it plays in our national security and local economy. This bill also maintains funding for construction at the Joint Base that will support the new KC-46 refueling tankers. The placement of these tankers will ensure that JB MDL continues to be our nation’s premier air mobility installation and home to over 42,000 jobs.

Supporting our military and protecting our country should never be a partisan issue and I’m glad members of both parties were able to come together and support this vital legislation.