Congressman Collins Presides over Passing of National Defense Authorization Act

Last week, the House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 and Congressman Doug Collins presided over the House during the vote.

Collins is an active member of the U.S. Air Force Reserve and said that he is proud to have been a part of fulfilling this responsibility.

The NDAA provides for key pieces of America’s defensive strategy, including a 2.4 percent pay raise for troops and an addition of nearly 20,000 active duty service members.

The bill funds the continued fight against ISIS and other terrorist organizations as well as invests in ballistic missile defense systems to defend the homeland, U.S. territories, and allies against North Korean threats.

The bill authorizes the creation of Reserve Officer Training Corps Cyber Institutes at the University of North Georgia and five other senior military colleges in order to address a nationwide shortage of cyber professionals. These institutes will respond to this need and further supplement the cyber programs already operating at UNG.

Major elements of the F-35 program are located in Georgia, and the NDAA authorizes multiple new F-35s and funds depot maintenance that could benefit Robins Air Force Base.