WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Chairman of the Senate Seapower Subcommittee, today voted for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2019. 

“America’s military has been the greatest force for freedom, stability, and peace in the history of the world,” Wicker said. “The defense bill passed today would ensure the United States retains our military superiority to meet the challenges of the future, take care of our men and women in uniform, and protect our homeland. The bill would also support Mississippi’s contributions to our national defense by investing in our military installations, our leading shipbuilding industry, and our many great military manufacturers and suppliers.”

The Senate-passed NDAA would authorize $716 billion to support America’s armed forces, give our troops a well-deserved 2.6 percent pay increase, and continue to rebuild our military readiness.

The legislation contains numerous provisions proposed by Wicker, including an increase in the shipbuilding budget to $23 billion. The additional funding will help expedite the building of a 355-ship Navy as required by Wicker’s SHIPS Act, which was signed into law as part of last year’s NDAA. 

Wicker spoke on the Senate floor last week to encourage his colleagues to support the legislation.