Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson praised passage of H.R. 1301, the Fiscal Year (FY) 17 Defense Appropriations bill.  Simpson supported the legislation which fulfills the constitutional responsibility of Congress to provide for the common defense by funding the Department of Defense.

“This bill provides our troops with the tools necessary to keep us safe at home and abroad while providing service members and their families with the support they deserve,” said Simpson.  “With an ever-changing enemy, we have to ensure our military is ready to protect us from those who want to do us harm.”

Crucially, the bill also provides funding for the A-10 Thunderbolt II, which currently operates at Gowen Field in Boise, and is essential to the mission there.  The FY17 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) contained language preventing the retirement of the A-10 Thunderbolt II.

The bill also provides for a 2.1% pay raise for over 1.3 million active-duty and 810,000 Guard and Reserve troops authorized in the FY17 NDAA.

H.R. 1301 passed the House of Representatives with a bipartisan vote of 371-48.