The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday 15,2015, approved 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for next year that called for providing the lethal arms for Ukrainian soldiers fighting pro-Russian terrorists is Eastern Ukraine. The Bill was passed in a 269-151 vote despite objections from Democratic leaders, and the White House veto.
#HASC Chair @MacTXPress statement on #NDAA passage pic.twitter.com/qFe6y0mUor
— Just Security (@just_security) 15 Травень 2015
Chairman Thornberry, of the House Armed Services Committee, made the following statement:
“I want to thank all of the Members who worked so hard and contributed so much to this product. The important reforms to the acquisition process, workforce management, and troop benefits could not have happened without contributions from across this chamber. I especially want to thank those members who contributed to this bill and voted for final passage. We have never before faced such a diverse array of serious threats. To meet them, we must preserve our agility while we recruit and retain the very best. This bill is an important step in that direction.”
Recently the US House Armed Services Committee passed its proposal for the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and approved $200 million on weapons and training for Ukrainian forces to “provide military training and assistance to Ukraine to allow it to better defend itself and increase the costs to Russia for engaging in such aggressive behavior against Ukraine.” The Bill was passed with a bipartisan vote of 60 to 2 on Thursday 30, 2015.
Section 1532 of the H.R. 1735 — FY16 NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL calls for the US to provide the support to the military and national security forces of Ukraine through September 30, 2016, including training, equipment, lethal weapons of a defensive nature, logistics support, supplies and services, and sustainment:
“This section would authorize the Secretary of Defense, in concurrence with the Secretary of State, to provide assistance and sustainment to the military and national security forces of Ukraine through September 30, 2016. This assistance would include the explicit authority for the Secretary of Defense to provide lethal weapons of a defensive nature to the security forces of Ukraine. This section would also require a notification to specified congressional committees containing a description of the plan for providing assistance, and require a quarterly report on the status of the activities and assistance. Lastly, this section would authorize appropriations of $200.0 million to carry out this authority.”
