Mr. Thornberry mentioned about ack which situation reform and making sure the system works better. I thank the chairman who has taken the lead on this issue. I think we have made significant improvements while acknowledging that we still have a long way to go to get the efficiency out of the pentagon budget. I think this bill does a great job supporting the troops and their families. Its basically the case we recruit a Service Member but you retain the family, and that means you have to provide for them. We support the 2. 5 pay raise in this bill and support the troops and their families in many different ways. This is a very good product. I also want to say, and i want to thank representative langevin on this issue. This bill states that Climate Change is a National Security threat. We make that the policy of the United States congress to acknowledge Climate Change and the impact that its going to have on our National Security. And representative langevin was tireless in making sure that was part of this bill. This is a good product. I am proud of the work we have done together to produce a legislative product that mr. Thornberry said, none of us likes everything thats in it but we reached a compromise. The challenge that we have Going Forward is what the chairman mentioned at the end there. This bill funds i think its right around 696 billion in defense spending. It goes 80 billion, roughly, over the budget caps. And the bill cant do that on its own unless the budget caps are lifted and the appropriators pass the appropriations bill, that doesnt happen. And we havent made a lot of progress on that. I was thinking today back to 2011 in august when we first passed the budget control act. We were about two days short of not being able to meet our debt ceiling obligations when we passed that, and at the time the hope was that we come together on a compromise to deal with our deficit and our debt, to get us on a fiscally responsible path. Well, nearly seven well, sorry, over six years later, i cant say we made an enormous amount of progress on that and thats a huge threat to our troops and our National Security. Id also say its a threat to the nondefense discretionary budget and the rest of the budget as well, but without question, one of the greatest challenges the pentagon faces, they dont know from one month to the next how much money they are going to have. Is this going to be the number, is this bill going to work . I dont know. I hope so. We have to resolve that issue. We have to figure out how to have a fiscally responsible budget so we can pass Appropriations Bills every year so all aspects of the discretionary budget can have some predictability. Its absolutely true, as the chairman and others have said, we have a readiness shortfall. What that means is we are not providing the equipment and the training to our troops necessary to fully prepare them to do the missions we are asking them to do. And i have no doubt that part of that is underfunded. But another part of it is we have a National Security strategy that is unclear and as it is presented is far greater than we would ever have the resources to match. I had a meeting with a pentagon official who told me they were very concerned because they were way short of having the funds necessary to meet their 2012 National Security strategy. And make no mistake about it, as big and confusing as the pentagon may look, they have a reason for everything they spend. They have a plan in place. Right now we dont have the funds to match those plans. I yield myself an additional minute. And thats a huge problem. So Going Forward, while we do need to provide more resources and stability, i also think we need to take a look at that National Security strategy and say, where are we spending money that we shouldnt be . What part of our strategy do we not need . If we cant do that, if we cant cut back, we are never going to be in a position to provide adequate funds to our troops. And to me that is the absolute worse result. Whatever the strategy is, the one thing that it absolutely ought to do is fund our troops sufficiently to meet it, to have a big idea what we ought to be able to do and then to underfund the men and women were asking to do it, i believe this has led to some of the accidents and deaths we had recently with our ships and with our planes. We need to adequately Fund Readiness to meet a mission that is achievable. That we still need to get to, but overall this is a good policy bill. Again, i thank the chairman. Appreciate the partnership and really enjoyed working with him to produce the product. With that i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from washington reserves his time. The gentleman from texas. Mr. Thornberry mr. Speaker, im pleased to yield two minutes to the chairman of the subcommittee on readiness, the gentleman from South Carolina, mr. Wilson. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Wilson thank you, mr. Speaker. And thank you, chairman Mac Thornberry for your leadership, the extraordinary controversial issue that should be addressed has been solved with your leadership and will be so meaningful to military families. I am grateful to support h. R. 2810, the National Defense authorization act for fiscal year 2018. Throughout this past year, as chairman of the readiness subcommittee, we heard testimony from each of the joint chiefs about the critical necessity to address the militarys alarming readiness shortfalls across all domains, air, land, sea, cyber and space. Sadly, the recent tragic deaths in the indopacific showed that readiness has fallen to a dangerous level. We can no longer delay the maintenance and sustainment problems that plague the military and defer critical training and modernization that directly impacts the ability to respond rapidly to emerging threats worldwide. There are numerous important readiness provisions in the bill. I also appreciate my friend, colleague and readiness ubcommittee Ranking MemberMadeleine Bordallo of guam. The ndaa was bipartisan and shows emphasis for Recovery Efforts and the enhanced mission of our nation, protecting military families as we recognize freedom is not free. I strongly support the ndaa for fiscal year 2018, and encourage my colleagues in the house to support it as well. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back. The gentleman from texas reserves his time. The gentleman from washington. Mr. Smith i thank you, mr. Speaker. I am now pleased to yield three minutes to the Ranking Member of the subcommittee on readiness, the gentlelady from guam, ms. Bordallo. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady is recognized. Ms. Bordallo i rise in support of the conference report to accompany the fiscal year 2018 National Defense authorization act. I commend chairman thornberry, Ranking Member smith, and i would like to also thank the readiness chairman, mr. Joe wilson, and the Committee Staff who worked many, many long nights on this bill. Im especially thankful for the spirit of cooperation that enables us to pass an act that directly impacts the young men and women who defend our country. The conference report authorizes 3. 6 billion in additional operations and maintenance funds to increase training, spare parts, facility and equipment maintenance and other readiness enablers. This is a very important step to support the recovery of readiness in areas that have been adversely impacted by high operational tempos and made worse by numerous continuing resolutions and the effects of sequestration. However, Congress Must go further and provide the department with budget stability by repealing sequestration so that we can continue to support the training, the maintenance, and the modernization needs of our forces. The conference agreement also includes a number of provisions to support military readiness, such as providing authorities and flexibility for investments in infrastructure, extending direct hiring authorities, protecting training ranges from encroachment, and continuing to support the asia pacific rebalance. The rebalance is critical to security and stability in the indoAsia Pacific Region, a matter of most importance to me because of the recent threats against the United States and specifically my home district of guam. Critically for my constituents, this agreement provides authority for u. S. Customs and Immigration Services to approve h 2db visas for guam that support Construction Projects directly connected to as well as those associated with the realignment of military forces to guam. Additionally, the agreement authorizes 354. 6 million for military Construction Projects in guam. As guams representative, i will continue to work with the d. O. D. And the u. S. C. I. S. To provide relief for health care and other industries that support our military on guam. While i support the progress we made in this bill, without further relief, our inadequate work force will negatively impact our National Security. So, again, mr. Chairman, i reiterate my appreciation of the work by our committees and our exceptional staff. The f. Y. 2018 ndaa provides the resources that our military requires for its missions in this very, very dangerous world. So i urge support for the bill. Thank you, mr. Speaker, and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady yields back. The gentleman from washington reserves his time. The gentleman from texas. Mr. Thornberry mr. Speaker, im pleased to yield two minutes to the tactical air, land forces subcommittee, the gentleman from ohio, mr. Turner. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Turner thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, i rise in support of h. R. 2810, the National Defense authorization act for 2018. I strongly support this bill and i want to personally thank our chairman Mac Thornberry for his work in trying to get a higher top line for defense. This bill comes in higher than the president s budget request, but it is in line with both the appropriations and the budget document that came out of the house. This bill authorizes 634. 2 billion in the base budget, a muchneeded increase over the original budget request and fully supports many of the unfunded requirements identified by the department that totaled more than 30 billion. He 634. 2 billion is essential. Anything less handicaps our ability for readiness, nearly a decade of neglect. This begins the long process to rebuild our militarys full Spectrum Readiness from years of deferred modernization brought on the failed assumptions from the previous administrations budget control act and sequestration. Tactical air, land forces subcommittee, this bill authorizes 12 billion in additional funds to address unfunded modernization requirements and critical capability gaps. If we do not begin with this budget to set favorable conditions to start to reverse the high risk defense posture we currently have, we will significantly jeopardize our militarys advantage that weve taken for granted in past conflicts in steady state operations. As such, the bill recognizes the importance of land forces and authorizes over 2 billion to accelerate Armored Brigade Combat Team modernization to include additional tanks and bradley fighting vehicles. The bill authorizes Strike Fighter capability and capacity shortfalls and authorizes 3 billion in additional funding to procure fifth generation aircraft and modernize our fifth generation fleet. These projects address unfunded requirements for the air force, navy and marine corps. The bill also continue to address the needs of the National Guard and reserve components by authorizing an additional 250 million for their equipment and modernization. This prevents the air force from reducing critical i. R. S. Capabilities. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas reserves his time. The gentleman from washington. Mr. Smith thank you, mr. Speaker. I am now pleased to yield three minutes to the Ranking Member on emerging threats and capabilities, the gentleman from long island, mr. Langevin. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Langevin i thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, i first like to begin by thanking chairman thornberry and Ranking Member smith and chairwoman stefanik for their tireless work on this bill. Its a good work product and im very proud to be associated with it and to be supporting it. Id also like to thank the Armed ServicesCommittee Staff for their contributions for another successful and bipartisan ndaa, and particular, lindsey, pete, kevin and nev. I want to recognize Kathryn Mitchell on my staff along with my two fellows, shawn and john, for their contribution and support. I am strongly support of the emerging threats portion of the ndaa. I want to congratulate chairwoman stefanik. This is her first ndaa as chairwoman. It was a pleasure working with her in a strong bipartisan way. The conference agreement preserves important steps forward when it comes to cyber, Information Operations and advanced technologies and provides support to our special operators and their families. When it comes to cyber, the bill authorizes the department of defense to ensure we have appropriate authorities and policies in place to allow our forces to operate successfully in cyberspace. It also reinvigorates the d. O. D. Cyber scholarship programs which provides scholarships and grant opportunities at the universities to bring their expertise into the department after they graduate. Additionally, the finalize language includes a provision that i wrote in conjunction with chairman thornberry, Ranking Member smith and chairwoman stefanik to require timely notifications for sensitive sign ber military operations out of areas of hostilities, ensuring congress is able to conduct appropriate oversight in this new domain. And the bill makes advanced technologies for our war fighters, such as electric mag neglectic war gun. We dont want to send our Service Members into a unfair fight. These technologies will ensure we provide them with the very best tools available. Finally, im very pleased with the final conference report. Preserving my amendment expressing the sense of congress that Climate Change is a National Security challenge and requiring the department to report its effects. This important bipartisan provision represents one of the most significant legislative Actions Congress has taken on this issue, and this shift in policy will better prepare our armed force, improve our readiness to face the changing climate. Want to thank the committee for their excellent work on this bill. Particularly chairman thornberry, Ranking Member smith, chairwoman stefanik, and the Committee Staff and my staff as want to thank the committee well. It was a pleasure working on this very bipartisan bill in support of all of oiler war fighters who we want to make sure that we provide the very best tools that they need to do their job safely and effectively. Thank them for all that they do for our nation. With that, i yield back the alance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from washington reserves his time. The gentleman from texas. Mr. Thornberry im pleased to yield two minutes to the chair of the subcommittee on strategic force, the chairman from alabama, mr. Rogers. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Rogers thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise in strong support of years ndaa and commend the chairman for his outstanding leadership in getting us to the point were today. This years bill takes the first step in fixing the broken Space Enterprise in the air force. We streamline the Leadership Structure eliminating over 20 unnecessary internal air force boxes on the air force acquisition chart. The bill empowers the commander of the air force Space Command with Sole Authority to organize, train, and equip space forces. It terminates duplicative offers. The Defense Space council and air forces a11 office. Most importantly, its a first a long path to Getting Space right for the betterment of our war fighters. Hopefully oferte coming year the senate will focus on the chronic problems facing National Security space. And work with us to establish a separate space corps. On Missile Defense, the bill ensures the way ahead of the threat that we stay ahead of the threat, which as we have seen over the last few years from north korea and their due tue dozen tests, missile tests, they are advancing rapidly