Tillis & Burr Applaud Passage Of NDAA That Includes Amendment To Help Protect 440th Airlift Wing | Eastern North Carolina Now

    WASHINGTON, D.C.     Today, the United States Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2016 with bipartisan support. North Carolina Republican Senators Thom Tillis and Richard Burr applaud the Senate for passage of this critical legislation that will support our wounded warriors, servicemembers, and their families, and will provide the necessary funding our military needs to combat ISIS and other terrorist threats around the world.

    Following the passage of the NDAA with a 73-26 vote, Senators Tillis and Burr urge President Obama to sign the legislation into law.

    Senator Tillis: "I applaud the Senate for coming together to pass this necessary legislation, ensuring our men and women in uniform have the support and resources necessary to protect our national security and maintain the United States' position as a global military leader. I am pleased the NDAA includes an amendment to help secure the C-130H Aircraft presence at Fort Bragg's Pope Airfield - the busiest airfield in the world for tactical training. Pope Airfield is critical to our military readiness as it is the nation's leading global response unit and the only unit capable of having our troops ready and active in a hostile situation within 18 hours of the President's orders. At a time when our nation faces unparalleled threats to our homeland, it is absolutely critical President Obama immediately signs this military funding bill into law. With threats of a veto on this undeniably bipartisan legislation, the President clearly underestimates the grave national security risks of budget cuts and sequestration, and even more unacceptably, is willing to put his personal agenda above the training and readiness of our troops."

    Senator Burr: "I'm pleased that the National Defense Authorization Act includes the Tillis-Burr amendment on the 440th Airlift Wing at Fort Bragg (NC), a crucial component for America's military readiness. Sen. Tillis and I have fought and will continue to fight to keep this facility functioning because its closure would mean a diminished response capability for our military. I encourage the President to sign this overwhelmingly bipartisan bill. At this moment, a presidential veto of this legislation that provides for our national defense would send the wrong signal to America's friends and enemies. I'd ask that the President put politics aside in favor of bolstering our national security, especially as the Islamic State and other terrorist organizations are making significant gains in the Middle East."

• Contact: Daniel Keylin/Meghan Burris
•     (202) 224-6342