Press Release

House Passes 2017 National Defense Authorization Bill

Includes Rep. Cuellar’s language that would allow convey historic building at Ft. McIntosh to LCC

WASHINGTON, December 8, 2016 | Rafael Benavides ((956) 725-0639)

Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) released the following statement regarding the passage of S. 2943, the Fiscal Year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which passed the U.S. House of Representatives on a vote of 375 to 34 and the Senate on a vote of 92 to 7. The bill will now head to the President for his signature.

“I voted in favor of the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act to ensure our military has the resources they need to get the job done,” said Congressman Cuellar. “I am committed to ensuring that our service members are well equipped, well trained, and well cared for when the fight ends. The bill we passed takes important steps to ensure these goals, such as including a 2.1 percent pay raise for our men and women in uniform and providing for the extension of special and incentive pay. I thank House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-TX-13) and Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA-09) as well as Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) for their tireless work on this bill.”

Specifically, the bill authorizes $611.2 billion for the Department of Defense and other defense related activities across government. This includes $543.4 billion in base funding to train and equip our forces, along with $67.8 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations to fund the fight in Afghanistan and against the Islamic State.


The bill includes a 2.1 percent pay raise for our military men and women and authorizes an extension of numerous bonus programs along with special and incentive pays. Included in the bill is a mandatory increase in our military’s end strength of 36,000 service members and prohibits any military base realignments or closures.

The legislation also includes language Congressman Cuellar requested that would allow the conveyance of a building on the site of historic Fort McIntosh from the U.S. Army Reserve to Laredo Community College (LCC), should they reach an agreement.