U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2017 Department of Defense Appropriations Act.

“This critical bill pays our troops, provides the necessary care for them and their families, and provides our men and women in uniform with the necessary tools to succeed on the battlefield,” Luetkemeyer said. “For the first time in six years, there is a 2.1 percent military pay raise for the men and women bravely defending our country. In addition, there is funding for 14 F/A-18 Super Hornets, which is important to the state of Missouri and our national security.”

Additional provisions in this legislation include a prohibition of Guantanamo Bay transfers to the United States and a prohibition of implementation of the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty.