Rep. McNerney Issues Statement on National Defense Authorization Act

Press Release

Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-09) issued the following statement on his vote not to support the FY16 National Defense Authorization Act:

"As a member of Congress, my biggest priority is the safety and security of my constituents, our servicemen and women, and our nation. While I have previously supported National Defense Authorization Acts, this current version does not represent the best interest of our national security, and I could not vote to support it. This bill relies on tricky budgetary maneuvers and misuses $38.3 billion in Overseas Contingency Operation dollars to avoid funding reductions as a result of sequestration. This funding approach is highly problematic for our military because the Department of Defense would not be able to rely on this same set of funds with any certainty in future budgets.

"That's why the Joint Chiefs and Ranking Member Adam Smith of the House Armed Services Committee are opposed to this misguided fiscal policy. Short-term funding creates instability and inhibits the Department's ability to do any long-term planning or prioritization, and it does not best position our military at a time when we are dealing with unpredictable and potentially dangerous conflicts around the world. We must do better. We must take a more sustainable budgetary approach and enact a bill that ensures that our fellow Americans serving in the military have the resources to perform their duties and keep our nation safe."

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