Washington, DC – Wyoming Congresswoman and House GOP Conference Chair Liz Cheney (R-WY) issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 by a vote of 377-48. The measure will now go to the Senate, where it is expected to pass, and then will be signed into law by President Trump. Rep. Cheney is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, which is responsible for drafting the NDAA. She served as a conferee on the Conference Committee which was tasked with reconciling the differences between the bills that came out of the House and Senate respectively:  

“Our most important duty in Congress is to provide for the defense of our nation. We face a global threat environment that is more complex than at any time since World War II, and we mustbe ready and equipped to deter, and if necessary, defeat, each of the adversaries that threaten us. This measure will help counter Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, and terrorist groups by supporting key military hardware and programs, and advancing the Trump Administration’s efforts to modernize our military and increase its lethality. 

“On a fundamental level, this bill provides badly needed tools for nuclear modernization and supports all three legs of our nuclear triad. It also ensures funding for key resources that we need, including F-35 fighters, the B-21 Raider bomber program, amphibious ships, guided missile destroyers, unmanned submarines, the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine program, Army hypersonics, next-generation helicopters, 5G, cyber, ballistic missile defense programs, and more.

“The NDAA is not only key because it ensures America’s security abroad, but because it supports our military at home. With that in mind, I’m glad this bill guarantees that the men and women serving at F.E. Warren in Wyoming have the resources they need to maintain a credible nuclear deterrent at all times. The bill specifically authorizes additional funding needed to complete the new helicopter facility at F.E. Warren, and provides adequate funding for the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent, which will replace the aging Minuteman III missiles deployed throughout Wyoming and the West.

“It has been an honor to serve as a conferee for this year’s NDAA, and I am looking forward to President Trump signing this crucial legislation into law.”