Press Releases

On Tuesday, June 26, 2018, in a speech given on the House Floor, Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) spoke in support of H.R. 6157, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal year (FY) 2019. This bill includes $674.6 billion for Department of Defense operations, personnel, readiness, and equipment modernization.

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I am proud today to rise in support of H.R. 6157, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2019. I, too, want to commend the Chairwoman – Chairwoman Granger, Ranking Member Visclosky, and every member of our subcommittee for their commitment to providing for the common defense. I am honored by the opportunity to work with them to fulfill our duty to our nation and to our warfighters.

“Earlier this year, Mr. Chairman, this body and our President made a strong commitment to our military by passing necessary funding increases to meet our growing global threats.

“I’m happy to report that this bill continues that momentum by rebuilding readiness and giving our troops the equipment they need to combat near-peer threats.

“Most importantly, this bill supports our warfighters through investments in training, recruitment, and retention, while providing them a much-deserved pay raise.

“I am particularly pleased that this bill prioritizes funding for the Total Force. Mr. Chairman, as a 30-year veteran of the National Guard, I know firsthand the importance the National Guard and Reserve forces play in our national defense. They are no longer simply a strategic reserve. They operate side-by-side with members of the active component every day, and this bill makes sure that they go into the fight with the necessary training and equipment.

“This is a good bill, Mr. Chairman. I am proud to see it make significant investments in Arkansas’s defense industry and acknowledge the importance these Arkansas businesses play in supplying our armed forces. With an ally in the White House, we can work with our colleagues in the Senate to provide our defenders what they need and deserve, and that is our unyielding support.

“I call on my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, to make a statement of strength today; to show our enemies that regardless of our disagreements we will always support our men and women who willingly go into harm’s way to defend America’s freedom.

“I urge a yes vote on the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.”

The full video can be viewed here.

Congressman Steve Womack has represented Arkansas’s Third Congressional District since 2011. He serves as the Chairman of the House Committee on the Budget and is a member of the House Appropriations defense, military construction-veterans affairs, and labor-health and human services subcommittees.

womack.house.gov

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