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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today supported the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2017, which authorizes national defense funding and passed the Senate by 85-13 vote.

“Passage of the NDAA supports our armed forces who rely on resources to maintain readiness and carry out operations,” said Sen. Moran. “This legislation also ensures our military men and women and their families receive the pay and benefits they have earned, while enabling the Department of Defense to keep millions of Americans safe at home and abroad. Senate action today helps to make certain our armed forces are ready and able to defend our nation.”

Sen. Moran sponsored two amendments to prevent President Obama from pursuing his plan to close the Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (GITMO) and transfer terrorist detainees to the United States. The first would strengthen the certification requirements relating to the transfer or release of detainees to foreign nations, and the second would prevent the Department of Defense (DoD) from using funds for the design or planning of construction or modification to facilities in the United States for the purpose of housing GITMO detainees.

“President Obama’s flawed campaign promise to close the dentition facility at Guantanamo Bay jeopardizes our national security and is against the law,” said Sen. Moran. “Congress and the American people have been clear that GITMO detainees do not belong on U.S. soil. This bill should not allow the use of taxpayer dollars to close GITMO when throughout the entirety of this president’s time in office, he has been unable to provide a cohesive, comprehensive, legally justifiable plan for closure and relocation of terrorist detainees.”

U.S. Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, committed on the Senate floor to do what is necessary to ensure that Sen. Moran’s amendment is enacted into law. The legislation will next go to conference with the House of Representatives to iron out differences in S. 2943 and H.R. 4909 and between the two chambers.

Sen. Moran also sponsored a number of additional amendments that were included in the NDAA:

  • A provision to strengthen the DoD’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP), which conducts life-saving research on conditions and diseases that impact military members, veterans and their families;
  • A provision to protect the military families relying on commissary stores by requiring the DoD to conduct and submit to Congress an assessment of the impact of changing commissary prices; and
  • A provision to revise the permanent active duty end strength minimum levels for the armed forces and certain fiscal year 2017 end strengths for the Selected Reserve.

Click here to watch Sen. Moran’s remarks on YouTube.

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