Passed BIG TIME!!
Paul Cook Reports
Annual National Security Bill
Thursday
May 24th in Washington D.C., Congressman Paul Cook (R-Apple Valley)
voted for House of Representatives Bill #5515, the Annual National Security Authorization
Bill. Bill #5515 passed
the House overwhelmingly with bipartisan support.
This
year’s Bill takes several vital steps to strengthen the readiness of our
military and protect our national security. Included in the bill is a 2.6% pay
increase for our troops, the largest in 9 years. It also makes significant
reforms to the Pentagon bureaucracy and makes key investments in other critical
military capabilities to confront aggression and address threats around the
world, including threats from Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.
Also
included in Bill #5515 is an amendment co-sponsored by Congressman
l Cook that supports efforts to increase domestic
production of our Nation’s strategic and critical minerals.
As
one of our nation’s largest consumers of
metals and minerals, the US Department of Defense uses as much as 750,000 tons
of minerals per year. These metals are key ingredients for military
technology as well as other strategic readiness components such as medical
devices, energy infrastructure, and roads.
“As
the world has grown more dangerous, our national security has continued to be
put at risk. This bill finally gives our troops the support and resources they
deserve. It provides our men and women in uniform with a much-deserved pay
raise and provides critical funding to rebuild our military so that we can
protect our national security both at home and abroad. It also includes an
important amendment that will streamline the development of critical minerals
here at home so we aren’t dependent on other nations to provide these minerals
which are necessary for our national defense. I look forward to seeing it
signed into law,” commented Congressman Cook.
