WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Neal Dunn (FL-02) supported final passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which continues to rebuild and strengthen our military. The bipartisan legislation is the military’s annual policy bill that authorizes funding levels for our nations National Security and Defense programs.

“While the passage of this vital legislation to support our military is long overdue, I am pleased that we could get this done before Christmas. It also gives certainty to the Panhandle that Tyndall Air Force Base will be fully rebuilt and includes my legislation requiring the Secretary of Defense to provide a report to Congress on the future of Artificial Intelligence in DoD," said Dr. Dunn. “Our men and women in uniform repeatedly suffer the consequences of a divided Congress and are forced to keep us safe with outdated equipment and technology. This important legislation works to reverse years of underfunding.”

The Conference Report to Accompany S.1790 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 includes a 3.1% pay raise for troops, improves military readiness, and modernizes outdated equipment. It authorizes an additional $5.3 billion in emergency funding for military installations damaged by natural disasters, additional aircraft, ships, and systems for our warfighters, as well as establishes the United States Space Force as the sixth branch of the military.

It authorizes $1.5 billion for the rebuild of Tyndall Air Force Base to a 21st Century Base. The Conference report also adopts Rep. Dunn’s bill which instructs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to Congress regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence in the Department of Defense.

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