CONTACT: AshLee Strong, Doug Andres
202-225-0600

WASHINGTON—House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) released the following statement upon the introduction of a full-year funding agreement for fiscal year 2018:

“Today marks the beginning of a new era for the United States military. With the biggest increase in defense funding in 15 years, this critical legislation begins to reverse the damage of the last decade and allows us to create a 21st-century fighting force. Our service members are the finest in the world, but the poor state of our military readiness has left them under-equipped and underprepared for the threats they face. They deserve better, and this long-sought funding provides it. It also strengthens our missile defense systems, upgrades our naval and air capacity, and funds the largest pay raise for our troops in eight years. This legislation fulfills our pledge to rebuild the United States military.

“This agreement addresses a number of other critical priorities. House appropriators have ensured that increases in non-defense spending are directed at securing the homeland, protecting our schools, and rebuilding American infrastructure. This package includes significant resources to fight the opioid epidemic that is ravaging our communities. It boosts funds for law enforcement and border security, including miles of new structures along our southern border. And it provides hundreds of millions of dollars for mental health, training, and school safety programs to keep our kids safe. No bill of this size is perfect. And we must reform our broken budget process to return to a regular appropriations process. But this legislation addresses important priorities and makes us stronger at home and abroad.”

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