Press Releases

On Tuesday, June 14, 2016, in a speech given on the House Floor, Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) spoke in support of H.R. 5293, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2017.  H.R. 5293 was subsequently passed today by the House.  The bill provides funding for the Department of Defense (DOD) for military activities for fiscal year 2017.

“I rise in support of the FY 2017 Defense Appropriations Bill.  In a world that is more dangerous and more complex than ever before, it’s critically important that we ensure our military remains the best trained, the best equipped, and the best supported on the planet.  This bill takes that next step towards fulfilling these necessary goals. 

“After years of budget cuts and sequestration, we are at a point now where we can no longer ask our military to keep meeting the needs of our nation without providing the right amount of resources.  

“Mr. Chairman, if we are unable to provide our troops with proper funding, I fear that very soon we will find ourselves at risk of sending our men and women in uniform into conflict without the training, equipment, or support that they need.  Our brave Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines deserve better.  And this Defense bill does better by helping our military return to full-spectrum readiness in order to properly meet the challenges our Nation is facing on all fronts and across the globe.  

“I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do what’s right for America by doing what’s right for the men and women who sacrifice so much to ensure the freedoms that we enjoy today.  Vote yes on the bill.  Vote yes for a strong American military.  Vote yes to send a message to all our enemies, that the American military is as strong as ever, and that the United States remains steadfast and capable of defending herself and her allies against those who wish to do us harm.

“I want to thank my friend, Chairman Frelinghuysen, the Ranking Member of the subcommittee, Mr. Visclosky, for their tireless work on behalf of our Congress, and on behalf of the American public.  And I yield back the balance of my time.”

Congressman Steve Womack has represented Arkansas’s Third Congressional District since 2011 and serves on the House Appropriations Defense, Financial Services and General Government, and Labor-Health and Human Services subcommittees and the House Committee on the Budget.

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