Sen. Cruz: ‘I Remain Committed to Fighting Each and Every Day for the Men and Women Who Steadfastly Defend Our Nation’

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, penned an op-ed for the El Paso Times highlighting his efforts on behalf of Texas service members, including his 13 amendments that were included in the FY 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

“Our readiness challenges cannot be solved in one year, and will require sustained effort to reform,” Sen. Cruz wrote. “As we prepare for the FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, I will continue to support legislation that strengthens our national security and deters our adversaries. I remain committed to fighting each and every day for the men and women who steadfastly defend our nation, and for the high quality of life their families deserve.”

Read the full op-ed in its entirety here and below: 

Sen. Ted Cruz outlines gains made to protect US, strengthen defense, aid military members
El Paso Times
April 29, 2018
By: Sen Ted Cruz 

The United States enjoys strength, security and influence on the world stage due to our most formidable asset: the men and women who selflessly serve to defend our exceptional nation. But Congress has frequently shirked its responsibility to ensure that our armed forces are well-equipped and properly funded in the wake of grave, ongoing threats they face around the world.

Fortunately, despite its many flaws, the recent budget agreement increases military funding by $165 billion over two years. With this budget in place and the current FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) process promising to build on last year’s gains, Congress is finally taking the vital steps necessary to properly provide for the common defense.

In the years since the Budget Control Act was signed into law, funding for our military declined while threats around the globe grew. From China’s island building in the South China Sea, to the Russian invasion of Crimea, to Iran’s destabilizing influence across the Middle East, our military has been asked to prepare for dire scenarios amidst a storm of budget instability.

We saw our troop levels reduced — El Paso’s Fort Bliss alone experienced a reduction of 1,200 soldiers — and service members have faced deteriorating living conditions at many installations as their leaders have been forced to make dangerous trade-offs, deciding whether to pay for training or maintaining infrastructure.

As history has shown, weakness invites aggression, but strength deters it. While our military has been underfunded and overused in recent years, unified Republican leadership has begun the heavy work of rebuilding our armed forces so we can once again be a nation that preserves peace through strength.

This Congress, and in particular the Armed Services Committee, led the way by making a down payment on rebuilding our military readiness. Last year’s FY 2018 NDAA provided much-needed resources for America’s warriors stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso, across Texas and all over the world. 

Texas significantly contributes to our nation’s security; therefore it is my top priority to ensure our Texas service members are properly resourced. I am proud of the results we secured for our military communities across the state, including 13 amendments I sponsored that were enacted into law in the final NDAA legislation.

We increased our troops’ take-home pay with a long overdue 2.4 percent increase in compensation. This is nearly half a percent higher than the level requested by the administration, and serves as the largest pay raise for our service members in seven years — a $700 raise for junior enlisted service members, a $1,000 raise for senior enlisted and junior officers, and a nearly $2,000 raise for field grade officers.

Additionally, with certain Texas installations in close proximity to wind farms, I was proud to secure a bipartisan solution to improve the Department of Defense’s Site Clearinghouse process — a measure that protects our state’s valuable renewable energy projects while ensuring they do not interfere with military operations and training exercises.

Beyond domestic improvements, I also helped secure important amendments that will reinforce our international defense partnerships and advance our military resources in space. When our soldiers are deployed from their Texas military installations, it is essential that we leverage our overseas defense partnerships to equip our service members with sufficient resources. This NDAA solidifies our most consequential relationships abroad in four specific ways.

First, it strengthens our longstanding alliance with Taiwan by allowing mutual port calls between our two countries. Second, it advances our burgeoning defense partnership with India by completing defense agreements and deepening joint exercises between both our militaries.

Third, it addresses the ongoing threat of illicit activities abroad that seek to compromise the security of our homeland. One of the successful amendments I pushed requires the secretary of defense to report on military cooperation between the government of Venezuela with Cuba, Iran, Russia, foreign terrorist organizations and regional militant groups, all of which seek to undermine the United States. Their agents may attempt to take advantage of our porous Southern border, finding sanctuary in communities like El Paso and other border towns, and contributing to the growing nexus of threats in Texas’ own backyard.

Fourth, this legislation addressed the crucial and contested domain of space — just like land, air and sea — as a theater of combat. Ensuring that we develop, protect and deploy assets in what is sure to become the next frontier of battle is inextricably linked to protecting our homeland. This is why I worked to secure an amendment that will reorganize Air Force Space Command (AFSC) and establish continuity by keeping the AFSC commander in place for a six-year tour, thereby helping the Department of Defense carry out this critical mission. This priority has direct implications for the future deployment of space-based missile defenses, which the United States must expedite to meet the growing ballistic missile threats from both rogue states and dominant world powers. Space-based missile defense not only assists our soldiers in the line of defense and protects us from foreign attacks, but also supports critical functions at our bases in Texas.

Our readiness challenges cannot be solved in one year, and will require sustained effort to reform. As we prepare for the FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, I will continue to support legislation that strengthens our national security and deters our adversaries. I remain committed to fighting each and every day for the men and women who steadfastly defend our nation, and for the high quality of life their families deserve.

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