Yesterday, U.S. Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52) voted for the Defense Appropriations Act of 2018. The bill would provide $664 billion for the Department of Defense, including an additional $1.2 billion from the last defense spending bill to support the increased troop levels in Afghanistan, and $25.3 billion for Navy shipbuilding to build additional submarines, carriers, and Littoral Combat Ships (LCS).

“Funding our Department of Defense is critical to protecting the American people from emerging and dynamic threats around the globe,” said Rep. Peters. “This agreement will increase the resources for our troops around the world and strengthen national security, but first it must be sent to the President’s desk to become law and that won’t happen unless Congress moves past the serial Continuing Resolutions and gets a real long-term budget deal done. I remain committed to working with anyone at any time to making that happen and I continue to urge Speaker Ryan to work with Democrats to support our troops.”

Congress has already voted on four different short-term Continuing Resolutions this fiscal year and a long-term government spending bill is five months overdue.

Peters continued, “Whenever I meet with military leaders, they always tell me that funding the government through continuing resolutions cripples our military’s readiness. While this bill makes the long-term investments DoD needs to counter 21^st century threats, Congressional leaders and the White House still have to come to an agreement on a long-term funding package that funds the entire government. I call upon Congressional leadership to propose a bipartisan, long-term agreement to fund our government appropriately.”