WILLIAM M. (MAC) THORNBERRY NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 128
(Extensions of Remarks - July 21, 2020)
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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E659]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
WILLIAM M. (MAC) THORNBERRY NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR
FISCAL YEAR 2021
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speech of
HON. JERROLD NADLER
of new york
in the house of representatives
Monday, July 20, 2020
Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, today, I voted against the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. While this legislation includes
several provisions that I strongly support--including prohibiting the
use of funds to support the Saudi-led coalition for strikes in Yemen
and limiting the President's ability to divert funds to build his
wasteful border wall--it ultimately fails to rein in our nation's out
of control defense spending.
Amid a global pandemic, and at a time when our nation's poverty rate
is at least 25 percent, it is unconscionable that Congress is
authorizing a record-breaking Pentagon budget of $740.5 billion--over
half of our discretionary budget. Multiple independent analyses have
concluded that our nation's collective security would not suffer by
cutting obsolete cold war weapon systems, rejecting new nuclear
weapons, and ending our military's reliance on expensive private
contractors. Congress must confront this reality and take meaningful
action to ensure that the basic needs of American families are
prioritized over wasteful military spending. That's why I'm deeply
disappointed that an amendment I supported to reduce the Pentagon's
budget by ten percent--while exempting military personnel and the
Defense Health Program from any reduction--was defeated on the House
floor.
While I oppose the wasteful spending included in this legislation, I
am pleased that it authorizes a three percent military pay raise and
contains provisions to protect the health of military families by
cleaning so-called PFAS forever chemicals and investing in military
housing infrastructure improvements. The bill also takes important
steps to improve the tracking of military child abuse cases, improve
sexual assault prevention and response, and require that the DoD
procure body armor that properly fits female service members. I am also
pleased that the bill takes meaningful action to close the detention
facility at Guantanamo Bay--an issue I have long championed--by
eliminating arbitrary restrictions on the transfer of detainees from
Guantanamo Bay that hindered the Obama Administration's ability to
close the facility.
Although I am glad these important provisions were included, I could
not and cannot support a bill that ensures our nation will provide $550
billion more in discretionary funding for military spending than for
healthcare, education, workforce development, and anti-poverty programs
combined.
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