Hoyer Statement on House Republicans Politicizing the Fiscal Year 2020 NDAA

Statement

House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today after all but two Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee voted against the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, the first time this bill has been politicized:

"This morning, the House Armed Services Committee marked up a defense authorization bill for 2020 that will keep America safe and defend our allies and interests abroad. It is shameful that all but two Republicans on the Committee chose to make this vote partisan. In doing so, they voted to deny our troops a pay raise, reject critical defense initiatives, and ignore the requests of our military. They did this all because the Committee would not agree to add billions more in unnecessary funding that would have required severe and draconian cuts to our investments in education and skills training, health care access, and infrastructure development.

"Never before has the annual defense authorization bill been used for partisan, political ends. Supporting our troops and defending our nation should not be partisan issues. Republicans will have another opportunity to stand with our troops and strengthen our national security when I bring this bill to the House Floor in July. I hope they do so."

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