U. S. Army since 911. Thanks for being here to sign the defense nationalization act. It invests in our military readiness. Climb to glory tenth Mountain Division. Thank you. [applause] shes an incredible representative. I also want to thank representative don baker, dan donovan and joseph wilson. Thank you, fellows. Stand up. Thank you. Another member of congress here today that is not only an air force veteran, but the first woman ever to fly a fighter jet in combat in u. S. History. And ive gotten to know her well. Shes terrific. Congresswoman martha mcsally. Congresswoman. Thank you, martha. Thank you for being here. [applause] thank you very much. Thank you all for fighting for our military and for fighting for our vets. Nobody has made more progress on anything than what weve done with our vets. We have choice now. We have so many other things approved for our vets and moving along well. I think almost as important as choice is accountability. Now when we find somebody not treating our vets properly, you know what we say, right . Youre out. Get out. Youre fired. Get out. They couldnt do that. Now they can do it. [applause] now they have to treat our vets properly. Our vets are our great people. They get treated properly. So you have choice and accountability and nobody thought that that would ever get approved. Theyve been trying for my decades. Finally, i want to thank a special group of patriots at ft. Drum. All of the amazing spouses and Family Members whose love and support make your service possible, whether you like it or not, they make it possible. Please, thank you. Thank you very much. [applause] they know. They know, right . Look at them. Smiling. They know. Last year we secured a historic 700 billion to rebuild our military. Now the National Defense authorization act paves the way for another listen to this now. So weve been trying to get money. They never gave us money for the military for years and years. It was depleted. We got 700 billion. Next year already approved, we have 716 billion to give you the finest planes and ships and tanks and missiles anywhere on earth. Nobody makes them like we do. Very, very far distance in this case. Jobs are important in all cases. In this case, the military might is more important than even jobs. But all of this equipment is made right here in the u. S. A. And its the best equipment on earth. Nobody makes it like we do. You have 700 billion. Now 716 billion. Congratulations. [applause] american is a peaceful nation. If conflict is forced upon us, we will fight and we will win. Right, general . Right . Right . [applause] Better Believe it, generals. Theyre the guys. Were powered by the Unstoppable Force of the United States army. Very special. For the new authorization, we will increase the size and strength of our military by adding thousands of new recruits to active duty, reserve and National Guard units, including 4,000 new active duty soldiers. And we will replace aging tanks, aging planes and ships with the most advanced and Lethal Technology ever developed, and hopefully well be so strong that well never have to use it. If we ever did, nobody has a chance. It all includes 135 brand new beautiful m1 abrams tanks, 60 Bradley Fighting Vehicles and over 3,000 joint life tactical vehicles for the army armored brigade combat team. New blackhawk and apache helicopters, fine nest the world, for the army National Guard, 77 f35 joint strike fighters. You know, stealth. I talked to a couple great pilots. I said how are they . They said theyre hard to beat. You cant see them. Always hard to beat the enemy when you cant see it. The greatest in the world. Full funding for the b21 raider bomber program, 13 new Battle Force Ships and support ships including a fourth fourclass Aircraft Carrier and three additional lateral combat ships. Funding to modernize our nuclear arsenal. So important. Were doing a major upgrade of our missile defense. Were spending a tremendous amount of money on our nuclear arsenal. Nobody will have close. We will hopefully never ever have to use it. But nobody will be close. More than 11 billion for the military construction, including family housing. Were proudly giving our troops the biggest pay increase in a decade. I know you dont want it because youre very patriotic. Youll say pay the money, well pay down debt. Nobody not want it . Raise your hand. Whats going on here . Are these real patriots . I dont know, general. The biggest increase in a decade. A Strong Military also requires a Strong Economy and our economy is setting records like never before. We have the greatest economy weve ever had. I think thats going to help us a lot, in a lot of ways. Also helps us a lot in funding, doing all of the things were doing for our great military. We created almost four million new jobs since the election. A number that the media in the back would never have said would be possible, if during the campaign. [applause] im so proud of myself. I didnt call them the Fake News Media. I didnt call them. I said to myself, i will not today in front of our great armed forces call them fake news. We know the truth but we wont see it today. They wouldnt have believe it possible, four million new jobs. Nobody would have thought that possible on the campaign trail. If we were campaigning, mike, if i would have said that, if i would have said two million new jobs, people would have laughed us off the stage. We have four million new jobs. Something im very proud of, the african americanhispanic american and asian american. The Unemployment Rates for all three have reached the lowest levels in the history of our country. Unemployment for african american, hispanic, asians. The lowest level in the history of our country. [applause] womens unemployment, im sorry, is not doing as well. Its only the lowest level in 65 years. So were not doing as well. [applause] but well do better. I think within about three weeks when the new numbers comes out, youll probably be lowest in history also. The veterans Unemployment Rate recently reached their lowest level in 20 years. A big one. [applause] and we are creating manufacturing jobs again. Remember, during the campaign they said you cant create manufacturing jobs. I said really . Were not going to make things anymore . Were going to have other countries make things and were going to buy them and they have the jobs and were not . Doesnt work that way. Were doing manufacturing jobs at the fastest pace in many, many decades. No longer are we apologizing for america. Instead, were now standing up for america. Its called America First if thats okay with you. [cheers applause] were standing up for our military and were standing up for our Great American flag. Were standing for our flag. [applause] the armed forces have endured continuous combat for the past 17 years, yet since the 1990s, the number of soldiers on active duty was cut by more than a 1 3. Our bases and Vital Equipment were allowed to fall into a state of disrepair. I saw some of them, total disrepair. Those days are over. Every day the army is fighting for us. Now we are fighting for you. 100 . [applause] no one better understands how stretched our military has become than the soldiers of the tenth Mountain Division. Is that right, general . You were the first conventional combat force to deploy after 911. Since then, no division in the army has been deplored more times to iraq and afghanistan than you. You sent over 9,000 courageous soldiers to 26 Different Countries all around the world in the past year alone. The Second Brigade Combat Team just returned from a rotation at the joint Readiness Training center. Later this year, they will once again bravely answer our nations call and deploy to afghanistan. Through it all, you have proven to the world, to our country, to your families that ft. Drum soldiers arent just tough. Youre mountain tough. Thats what you are. [applause] i said to you, general, what is the difference . He said, sir, trust me, theres a difference. I said i trust you. Right . I said dont go into it. I trust you. One of those soldiers is specialist braden cook who is with us today. Where is braden . Braden, good location. Very good. [applause] last october, his team came under heavy fire while cleaning and clearing. Clearing out taliban strong holds in various locations in afghanistan. An afghan soldier fighting alongside u. S. Troops was badly wounded when an explosive detonated nearby. Specialist cook braved hail of bullets and mortar rounds all over. They said it was all over. It was heavy fire. Saving the life of that wounded soldier and earning a bronze star for valor for his courageous action. Braden, i want to thank you. Brave young man. Thank you. Please stand up again, braden. [applause] were also inspired by the devotion to duty shown by Family Members that served their nation here at home. Ashley shepherd is one of those Family Members. Shes been married through Sergeant First Class ian shepherd for more than 14 years. Ashley supports military families in every way you can imagine. Shes served as a Family Readiness group leader, coleader, treasurer and assistant treasurer for three companies. She works hard. She raises money for scholarships, organizes Charity Events for gold star families and feeds homeless veterans. Ashley, i want to thank you. Where is ashley . I had a feeling that was you. Stand up, ashley. [applause] thank your husband, too. Thank you. America is eternally grateful for every soldier, Service Member and Family Member here at ft. Drum. Were forever in the debt of every american who has ever served our nation in uniform. From the snows of valley forge to the jungles of vietnam and the mountains of afghanistan, its just incredible what you do. A few days ago, Vice President pence flew to hawaii to greet the remains of our nations greatest heros. Our fallen warriors that gave their lives many years ago in korea. Now these american heros with finally starting to come home. They will be laid to rest on american soil. We believe in no american left behind. [applause] and we believe our war fighters deserve the tools, the equipment and resources they have earned with their blood, sweat and tears. If a few moments, in honor of that sacred obligation, i will put my signature on the National Defense authorization act. This authorization will give americas war fighters the firepower they need to win any conflict quickly and decisively. Thanks to the leadership of representative stefanik, were making an unprecedented commitment to developing our Artificial Intelligence capabilities in order to maintain americas military supremacy, we must always be on the cutting edge. That is why we are all so proudly reasserting americas lega leadership in space. Our competitors have begun weaponizing space. Developing new technologies to disrupt vital communications, blind satellites and just look at what theyre doing, they have given me rundowns. Ive seen things that you dont want to see what theyre doing and how advance they are. Well be catching them very shortly. They want to jam transmissions which threaten our battlefield operations and so many other things. We will be so far ahead of them in a very short time, your head will spin. China even launched a new military division to oversee its war fighting programs in space. Just like the air, the land, the sea, space has become a warfighting domain. Its not enough to merely have an american presence in space. We must have american dominance in space. That is why just a few days ago the Vice President outlined my administrations plan to create a sixth branch of the United States military called the United States space force. [applause] got to get it, joe. Right, joe . We will ensure that the next great chapter in history is written by the heros of the United States military. America will always rise to every challenge and overcome every danger because we are backed by the strength and power of the american soldier. Speaking to his troops, general george patton, a great one, once said, wheres we have the finest equipment on earth and the best men in the world. If it were today, he would be saying the best men and women in the world. Things do change. That was quite a statement many years ago. Continuing his remarks, patton then declared i dont want to get any messages saying im holding my position. Were not holding a damn thing. Were advancing constantly. That was patton. Nearly 75 years later, pattons words still ring true. America has the best equipment anywhere in the world. We have the best spirit, the best soldiers ever to set foot on any battled field anywhere at any time. Were the most powerful. Were the best funded. Were the biggest. Were the strongest. Were the smartest. We are still not holding a damn thing because america is on the move once again. Were not backing down. Our country is respected again. I dont know if you see it, but america is respected again. Its a big difference and a big difference in the air. You take a look around. Theres a big, beautiful difference. Were advancing forward with our confidence renewed, our might restored and the unwavering conviction that our destiny is our victory. Americas future is safe, sound and brighter than ever. Because each of you is mountain tough, mountain proud and mountain strong and always will be climbing to glory. You will be climbing to glory. Thank you again for the incredible men and women of ft. Drum. Special, special great people. God bless our troops, god bless the United States of america. Id now like to invite a few of our fantastic soldiers from the tenth Mountain Division to join me on stage to sign the National Defense authorization act. Its been an honor to be with you today. Thank you very much. Thank you. [cheers applause] [applause] [cheers applause] thank you very much, everybody. A great honor. Thank you. Shepard President Trump just wrapping up a speech to the good folks, men and women at ft. Drum upstate in new york and signing the Defense Authorization bill bearing john mccains name. Jennifer griffin is at the pentagon. Tell us about the bill, jennifer. Shepard, what is interesting, weve had several years of budget cuts, budget caps. This defense bill does more than any other bill to reverse that. The president very proudly stated that he wants more planes, more ships. Hes going to reverse the readiness problem that after 17 years of constant war has plagued the military. This is the earliest a president has signed the annual Defense Authorization bill into law since 1977. Puts the Trump Administration on track to appropriate a Defense Budget without a continuing resolution for the first time in a decade. That is a huge relief to pentagon planners who say the budget process until now has led to huge amounts of waste here in the pentagon. The 716 billion defense bill authorizes billions to rebuild military equipment, it will address the readiness issues, includes a pay raise. 2. 6 for troops. The largest in nine years. A new Aircraft Carrier, 13 new battleships, two virginia class submarines, 250 million for expanding the submarine industrial base, 77 f35 fifth generation joint strike fighters, funding to develop low yield nuclear weapons. According to the chairman of the House Armed Services committee, the increased funding sends a strong message to russia and china confounding trump critics that say hes not doing enough to stop russian aggression, shep. Shepard jennifer, if you could, tell us how it pushes back against russia. All of that equipment is being procured not to fight terrorists as most of the wars have been fought, focusing on Counter Terrorism but to get back to Great Power Competition with an eye to russian and china in particular. Heres some examples. The bill requires the president to designate a National SecurityCouncil Employee to coordinate the interagency fight against maligned foreign influence operations including election interference. That is a direct response to russian interference in the last election. It includes 6. 3 billion to reassure u. S. Partners and allies and increase the u. S. Military presence in europe. It bars military to military cooperation with russia, even if the president were to order the u. S. Military to cooperate with the Russian Military in syria. It bars that. It ties the hands of the president in recognizing russias annexation of crimea. Theres literally dozens of provisions that target russian aggression specifically. Its spelled out in a way that i have not seen before, shepard. Shepard Jennifer Griffin at the pentagon. Thanks so much. We were waiting to see whether the president might say anything about some of the other headlines of the day. He did not. Well get into