Labrador Statement on National Defense Authorization Act Fiscal Year 2013

Statement

Today Idaho First District Congressman Raúl R. Labrador issued the following statement on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2013:

"I opposed today's National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) because I do not think it adequately protects our civil liberties and does not make the tough financial choices necessary to regain our fiscal stability. The ambiguity regarding the indefinite detention of U.S. citizens suspected of terrorism without a trial is dangerous to civil liberties and needs to be clarified to protect the freedom of all Americans.

Furthermore, while our national debt is approaching $16 trillion, many in the House refuse to understand that, as former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen said, 'the most significant threat to our national security is our debt.' Republicans must be willing to find ways to reduce fraud, waste, abuse and unnecessary programs in defense discretionary spending so that Democrats will come to the table with reductions in entitlement programs which are the drivers of our debt. Both sides must be willing to put their sacred cows on the table in order to solve our current fiscal crisis."

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