[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 188 (Thursday, November 16, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7280-S7281]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                  National Defense Authorization Bill

  Mr. President, the leader of the Senate, a few minutes ago, talked 
about the NDAA and John McCain's role in that. John McCain, of course, 
has been and is an American hero. Everybody knows his past and knows 
what he did and the suffering he went through.
  He was very instrumental--sure, we had some disagreements on some of 
the finer parts of the bill--but this is one that had to be done. All 
of a sudden we are changing what happened, unfortunately, in the past.
  I can remember about 3 years ago we got all the way to December 
before we voted this out. We have now voted. This is the 55th year in a 
row that we have passed a Defense authorization bill. If we didn't by 
the end of December, then our kids wouldn't be getting hazard pay or 
pilots wouldn't be getting flight pay, and it would be an absolute 
disaster. Of course, it didn't happen because we are now doing it.
  I have to say this. One thing that hasn't been said enough is what 
Senator McCain and a lot of his supporters were able to do; that is, 
reprioritize what defending America is about.
  Read the Constitution. Look at the history of this country. I always 
say people should sometime get out that old document that nobody reads 
anymore, the Constitution, and see what we are supposed to be doing 
around here.

[[Page S7281]]

  Do you know that what we are supposed to be doing in this body 
primarily is defending America, No. 1, and they called them post roads, 
back then, building roads and transportation. That is what we are 
supposed to be doing, but what has happened in our military is 
something people don't know about. I applaud our military in uniform 
now because they are saying it for the first time in my memory that we 
are in the most threatened position this country has ever been in. We 
have adversaries out there. Some are somewhat mentally deranged. They 
are rapidly getting or already have the capability of hitting an 
American city with a weapon. As tragic as it was when we went through 
9/11, what a lot of people don't realize is, if that were to happen, a 
whole city could be wiped out.

  The problem is that we have gotten away from prioritizing the fact 
that the No. 1 concern should be and the mission should be for us to 
defend America. To give an example, up through the 1960s, we spent over 
50 percent of all the revenue that came into the Federal Government on 
defending America. Do you know what it is today, Mr. President? It is 
15 percent. So we have gone from 50 percent down to 15 percent. What 
does that tell you? It tells you that the priorities aren't right.
  So we have looked at this, and this is a first step. This McCain-led 
NDAA is the first step in reprioritizing where we are. If anyone 
questions this, if you look at the Obama administration, when we were 
trying to recover on sequestration, he had a policy. He said: For every 
dollar we put in, we are going to have to put an equal amount into 
social programs. That shows you the lack of priority. All that is being 
changed.
  About 10 minutes ago when I started, I quoted Patrick Henry. You stop 
and think about the courage it took at one time to get to the point 
that we are going to be progressing to, starting with this bill, when 
he said: There is a just God who reigns over the destinies of nations 
and who will raise up friends to fight our battles with us. The battle 
is not to the strong alone but to the vigilant, the active, the brave. 
Gentlemen may cry ``peace,'' but there is no peace. Why stand we idle? 
What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, 
is peace so sweet, it must be bought at the price of chains and 
slavery?
  That is what it used to be. That was the priority. And this bill 
reestablishes that priority as the No. 1 priority, as our history 
reflects we should be doing, as our Constitution has charged us with 
doing, and we are doing it with the passage of the national defense 
authorization bill. We are on the road to recovery, and I am very 
excited about it.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.