The U.S. House of Representatives today passed the annual defense policy bill that authorizes spending for military personnel, weapons systems, national security programs, and foreign military operations by a vote of 269 to 151. This is the first National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to be passed under local U.S. Congressman Mac Thornberry’s (R-Clarendon) chairmanship of the House Armed Services Committee, and it includes funding for Sheppard Air Force Base, the Pantex Plant, and the V-22 Os... Read more

Congressman Mac Thornberry, the Chairman-elect of the House Armed Services Committee, made the following comments after President Obama nominated Ash Carter as the next Secretary of Defense: "I respect Ash Carter. He knows the Pentagon, and he knows that some reforms are essential if we are to meet the national security needs of the country. If confirmed, his challenge will be to resist the micromanagement of the White House staff that has plagued his three predecessors and to speak candidly to ... Read more

Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) made the following comments after voting to support the two-year budget agreement: "This budget agreement maintains the sequester savings and then saves even more. It also spares our country’s military from bearing the brunt of deeper cuts. In 2014, all of the additional spending cuts fall on the Department of Defense, and this bill replaces those cuts with modest changes in mandatory spending. It is not nearly enough, but it begins to reform that part of... Read more

The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 would set overall discretionary spending for the current fiscal year at $1.012 trillion—about halfway between the Senate budget level of $1.058 trillion and the House budget level of $967 billion. The agreement would provide $63 billion in sequester relief over two years, split evenly between defense and non-defense programs. In fiscal year 2014, defense discretionary spending would be set at $520.5 billion, and non-defense discretionary spending would be set at... Read more

Washington, DC -- Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) made the following comments before a vote on the Senate's budget and debt ceiling bill: "Tonight, I plan to vote against the Senate's bill that funds the government until January 15 and increases the debt limit until February 7. The last two weeks were unfortunate and unnecessary. During this time, the House has attempted to negotiate in good faith, even going so far to pass targeted bills to keep essential parts of the government open. ... Read more

Washington, DC -- Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) made the following comments after the President's latest economic speech: "The House is passing bills while President Obama is passing the buck. The reality is the economy is still struggling in large part because of the big-government policies the President has staked his legacy on, with Obamacare leading the pack. The President’s economic formula continues to be excessive regulations, more taxes on small businesses, restrictions on dom... Read more

U.S. Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon), the Vice Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, made the following comments after the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The vote was 315 to 108: “Budgets are shrinking, but the threats to our country are not. This strong, bipartisan bill reflects both of these realities, while also providing significant support for our fighting forces, offering additional resources for other national security efforts,... Read more

U.S. Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) made the following statement about the budget proposal submitted by President Obama: "The budget that the President submitted today does not seem serious. It is full of accounting gimmicks that expand the federal government’s role in the lives of hardworking Americans; it increases taxes; and it rapidly grows the size of our debt and deficit. Instead of reforming the mandatory spending programs that make up nearly two-thirds of the federal budget, th... Read more

In an effort to help provide the Pentagon budget flexibility as it faces across-the-board cuts under sequestration, the House today passed a spending bill to continue government operations until the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2013 (H.R. 933) by a vote of 267-151. Area Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) supported its passage. The legislation includes a full-year Defense Appropriations bill, as well as a full-year Military Construction/Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill. These... Read more