OFF THE WIRE
SENATE TAKES UP NDAA: The text of the Senate’s version of the fiscal 2019 National Defense Authorization Act could be unveiled today as the chamber is poised to begin floor debate. “Months of hearings and markups allow Congress to direct resources and authorize programs, equipping our brave servicemen and women to confront emerging challenges. The Armed Services Committee should be commended for their earnest, bipartisan work this year. The legislation they’ve produced is strong,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday. He is expected to bring the bill to the floor today.
The $716 billion must-pass NDAA is named after Sen. John McCain, who helped write the authorization bill from Arizona where he is receiving treatment for brain cancer. McConnell said the annual bill would add ships and aircraft, streamline personnel management, modernize acquisitions, and eliminate duplicative and wasteful programs. “It sends a clear message that we have our warfighters’ backs. How fitting, then, that it’s named for our colleague, Sen. McCain, a stalwart champion for our servicemen and women if this chamber has ever seen one,” he said.
Senators will now be filing proposed amendments and gearing up for debate and voting that could stretch into next week. “I look forward to discussing this legislation at length in the coming days,” McConnell said. The House passed its version of the NDAA on May 24. Once the Senate votes, both chambers’ armed services committees typically name a conference committee to hammer out a final compromise in the fall.