Senate Armed Services Committee Completes Markup of National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced details of the committee’s markup of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017. The committee on Thursday voted, 23-3, to report the bill, which authorizes $602 billion in funding for the Department of Defense and the national security programs of the Department of Energy.

“I am grateful to the Committee’s outstanding ranking member, Senator Jack Reed, and all the members of the Committee for their hard work in a collaborative, bipartisan process. This NDAA is a bill of which we can all be proud,” said Senator McCain. “This is a reform bill. The NDAA contains the most sweeping reforms of the organization of the Department of Defense in a generation. It modernizes the military health system to provide beneficiaries with higher quality care, better access to care, and a better experience of care. The NDAA is also an innovation bill. It refocuses Pentagon leadership on preserving America’s military technological advantage and advances reforms to the defense acquisition system to harness American innovation. And all of this was achieved while upholding the committee’s commitments to servicemembers, retirees, and their families. I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues to pass this important legislation.” 

“I am pleased to work with Chairman McCain and our colleagues toward passage of a bipartisan NDAA that supports our troops and safeguards our nation.  Growing demands have been placed upon our military, and our troops deserve a budget and policies to match their extraordinary courage and sacrifice,” said Senator Reed.  “This bill makes important investments in readiness and includes several needed reforms, and we will continue working with our colleagues to make improvements.  Congress must ensure our forces have the right tools to conduct operations and help our allies combat violent extremists.  Advancing this bill is a significant step toward achieving that objective.”

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Note: The summary and bill text of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 are included on the right-hand side of this page.