[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 155 (Thursday, October 22, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H7127]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2016--VETO MESSAGE 
      FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (H. DOC. NO. 114-70)

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Kelly of Mississippi) laid before the 
House the following veto message from the President of the United 
States:
To The House of Representatives:
  I am returning herewith without my approval H.R. 1735, the ``National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016.'' While there are 
provisions in this bill that I support, including the codification of 
key interrogation-related reforms from Executive Order 13491 and 
positive changes to the military retirement system, the bill would, 
among other things, constrain the ability of the Department of Defense 
to conduct multi-year defense planning and align military capabilities 
and force structure with our national defense strategy, impede the 
closure of the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, and prevent the 
implementation of essential defense reforms.
  This bill fails to authorize funding for our national defense in a 
fiscally responsible manner. It underfunds our military in the base 
budget, and instead relies on an irresponsible budget gimmick that has 
been criticized by members of both parties. Specifically, the bill's 
use of $38 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations funding--which 
was meant to fund wars and is not subject to budget caps--does not 
provide the stable, multi-year budget upon which sound defense planning 
depends. Because this bill authorizes base budget funding at 
sequestration levels, it threatens the readiness and capabilities of 
our military and fails to provide the support our men and women in 
uniform deserve. The decision reflected in this bill to circumvent 
rather than reverse sequestration further harms our national security 
by locking in unacceptable funding cuts for crucial national security 
activities carried out by non-defense agencies.
  I have repeatedly called upon the Congress to work with my 
Administration to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 
and explained why it is imperative that we do so. As I have noted, the 
continued operation of this facility weakens our national security by 
draining resources, damaging our relationships with key allies and 
partners, and emboldening violent extremists. Yet in addition to 
failing to remove unwarranted restrictions on the transfer of 
detainees, this bill seeks to impose more onerous ones. The executive 
branch must have the flexibility, with regard to those detainees who 
remain at Guantanamo, to determine when and where to prosecute them, 
based on the facts and circumstances of each case and our national 
security interests, and when and where to transfer them consistent with 
our national security and our humane treatment policy. Rather than 
taking steps to bring this chapter of our history to a close, as I have 
repeatedly called upon the Congress to do, this bill aims to extend it.
  The bill also fails to adopt many essential defense reforms, 
including to force structure, weapons systems, and military health 
care. Our defense strategy depends on investing every dollar where it 
will have the greatest effect. My Administration's proposals will 
accomplish this through critical reforms that divest unneeded force 
structure, slow growth in compensation, and reduce wasteful overhead. 
The restrictions in the bill would require the Department of Defense to 
retain unnecessary force structure and weapons systems that we cannot 
afford in today's fiscal environment, contributing to a military that 
will be less capable of responding effectively to future challenges.
  Because of the manner in which this bill would undermine our national 
security, I must veto it.
                                                        Barack Obama.  
                                     The White House, October 22, 2015.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The objections of the President will be 
spread at large upon the Journal, and the veto message and the bill 
will be printed as a House document.
  Pursuant to the order of the House of October 21, 2015, further 
consideration of the veto message and the bill are postponed until the 
legislative day of Thursday, November 5, 2015, and that on that 
legislative day, the House shall proceed to the constitutional question 
of reconsideration and dispose of such question without intervening 
motion.

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