A $612 billion defense bill heading to the Senate floor is a "common-sense approach" reform measure that should be passed to help the United States military to continue to provide a strong defense that "deters our adversaries," Sen. Deb Fischer said in Saturday's
GOP address.
"This bill targets real reductions for headquarter and management staff as well," the Nebraska Republican said. "It would also take steps for real reforms to our acquisition system – the way our military purchases weapons and equipment – to prevent wasteful spending."
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The Senate Armed Services Committee overwhelmingly approved the National Defense Authorization Act, a bipartisan defense bill, earlier this month and it will soon be under consideration by the full United States Senate.
The bill works by cutting spending from programs that either failed to perform or have been delayed, and then redirects the revenue to meet the military's critical needs, she pointed out.
"This year’s NDAA finds $10 billion in savings, which it uses to increase the capability and training of our men and women in uniform," said Fischer. "It also invests in the future of our national defense, setting aside $400 million for the development of new technologies that will ensure our troops maintain their superiority on the battlefield."
Fischer said the bill also addresses issues such as the Pentagon's growing bureaucracy, and notes that even if the military is getting smaller, combat units should not be the ones to bear the brunt of the reductions.
Fischer, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, lauded the sacrifices of the military "from the shores of Normandy to the fields of Korea and beyond," but pointed out that "every generation faces evil" and the work is not done when it comes to protecting the United States.
"From Iran’s nuclear ambitions to China’s aggressive territorial expansion, Russia’s belligerence as a regional bully, and the growing threat of the Islamic State, we have no shortage of challenges," she said. "This underscores the importance of providing for our military."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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