Sasse Applauds Defense Bill For Cyber Doctrine, Response to Chinese 'Massive War Machine'
Associated Press reports that paid parental leave is part of this year's defense policy bill
By News Channel NebraskaWASHINGTON, D.C. - Congress is sending President Donald Trump its annual defense policy bill, which combines a $738 billion Pentagon price tag with legislation to provide federal employees with 12 weeks of paid parental leave.
A Senate vote Tuesday followed easy House passage last week. and then arduous House-Senate negotiations. The traditionally bipartisan measure has been stripped of many add-ons originally sought by Democrats controlling the House.
Negotiators also endorsed Trump's call for a new “space force.” Trump will sign the measure, which awards the troops with a 3.1 pay raise, the largest in more than a decade.
U.S. Senator Ben Sasse, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement after the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Sasse: “National defense is the federal government’s first job. We know that the Chinese Communist Party is building a massive war machine designed to fight across land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace. Americans aren’t going to twiddle our thumbs and learn Mandarin. We’ve got to make serious investments in our defenses and that’s exactly what this bill does."
Sasse, who is author of the Cyber Solarium Commission, said he is glad the bill extends to the important work of drafting a cyber doctrine.
The bill also authorization of $420 million for disaster relief at Offutt Air Force Base and Camp Ashland.
Dan Swanson of B103 FM contributed to this story