Conference Report on H.R. 1735; National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016

Floor Speech

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Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. I thank the chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to support the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 and also thank Chairman Mac Thornberry for his leadership and hard work in bringing this important bill and conference report to the floor with bipartisan support.

I appreciate serving as the chairman of the Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee to oversee some of the most important aspects of the Department of Defense. The subcommittee's portion of the bill represents a comprehensive and bipartisan product. For this reason, it is sad that some of our Democratic colleagues may vote against this bill and, worse, that the President is threatening a veto.

Mr. Speaker, a veto or a vote against this bipartisan bill is a vote against security for American families and a vote against every member of the armed services and its military families.

It would be a vote against authorizations that would strengthen our cyber defense capabilities. It would be a vote against counterterrorism programs and resources for our special operations forces currently fighting overseas. It would be a vote against reform efforts and programs that would ensure America maintains superiority in all areas of science and technology.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues across the aisle to support this bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act and for the President to sign this important piece of legislation that will soon cross his desk.

A vote or veto against this measure is, simply put, a vote endangering American families and a vote against the American-dedicated servicemembers who mean so much to our country.

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