Pelosi Statement on National Defense Authorization Act Vote

Statement

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement following the House vote on Republicans' National Defense Authorization Act:

"Democrats stand for a strong national defense, and today, our members sent a strong message in support of giving our men and women in uniform and our military overall the certainty they need, not Republican budget gimmicks.

"The Republican defense authorization bill is bad for our budget, bad for our military, and bad for our national security. It perpetuates instability in the defense budget, and undermines the ability of the Defense Department and millions of military families to plan and prepare for the future. Furthermore, this bill would lock in the non-defense sequestration cuts that will devastate other vital pillars of our national strength -- letting the axe fall on the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, our veterans' health care, and the investments in infrastructure, education and innovation that we need to succeed in the 21st century.

"In a time of growing threats and turmoil abroad, Democrats know we must have a defense budget that meets the challenges of our time, provides long-term certainty to our military, and strengthens the security of American families. That is why we support coming together in a fiscally responsible way to lift the sequester and fully fund the President's defense budget request. But we will not stand for Republicans causing uncertainty for our military and hollowing out the American economy."

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