[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 181 (Wednesday, November 13, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6527-S6528]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                   National Defense Authorization Act

  Mr. CRAMER. Mr. President, I come down to the Chamber today to talk a 
little bit and highlight the vast differences in the priorities between 
the two Chambers in the U.S. Congress today.
  Several of my colleagues will be down here a little later today to 
talk about and to encourage the passage of the National Defense 
Authorization Act--a bill, by the way, that passed the Senate in a very 
strong bipartisan way, reflective of strong bipartisan input, in a vote 
of 86 to 8. The House also passed their version of the National Defense 
Authorization Act on more of a party-line vote.
  The point being, both Chambers have passed it; the reconciliation of 
the two bills has begun; the negotiations have begun, but they have 
been stalled. I think it is a strong reflection of the differences 
between the two Chambers.
  First, I will talk a little bit about why it is important that we do 
this job. First of all, there have been 58 years in a row that the NDAA 
has passed the House and the Senate and signed into law. Why? Well, 
because it is the highest priority of the government--of all the bills 
we do every year, apart from and very close to appropriations, would be 
authorization of our national defense programs. That is why it has 
happened 58 years in a row.
  It is important for a number of reasons. One of the things that both 
the House version and the Senate version of the NDAA does is highlight 
the importance of space with the creation of a Space Force, as we call 
it the Senate, and Space Corps, as they call it in the House. 
Nonetheless, it is similar, and it represents and recognizes the 
importance of space domain as a warfighting domain going forward, a 
priority that our near-peer allies have already recognized in their 
policies.
  Without NDAA passing, that goes by the wayside for at least another 
year. It also fully funds several national priorities, not the least of 
which is, of course, the largest pay increase in 10 years for our men 
and women who wear the uniform.
  On a more local level for me, it authorizes the modernization of our 
nuclear fleet, including the ground-based missiles known as the ICBMs 
that we have 150 of in North Dakota at Minot.

[[Page S6528]]

It modernizes this system, which is several decades old. If we need 
anything, we need to modernize our weapons systems again to keep pace 
with our near-peer adversaries.
  It also authorizes millions of dollars in funds to the national 
Global Hawk mission, which is headquartered in Grand Forks, another 
very important Air Force base in my State. It authorizes funds for the 
MQ-9 program. MQ-9s are flown by North Dakota Air National Guardsmen in 
Fargo's Happy Hooligans. It also advances the mission of the Cavalier 
Air Force Station in Cavalier, ND, one of the very few space radar 
stations, and it ensures that the needs of all our Guard operations are 
met.
  The House bill, by the way, also does something that is very 
important to me. It is a bill I have introduced, along with my 
colleagues from New York, that honors the 74 sailors who lost their 
lives in the Frank E. Evans 50 years ago during the Vietnam war. These 
sailors' names have been left off the Vietnam Memorial Wall over a 
minor technicality, a technicality that probably shouldn't be in the 
rules to begin with, but certainly it has been waived in many other 
circumstances and needs to be waived in this NDAA. I would love to get 
that House language into the final bill.
  None of these priorities are going to be met if House Democrats--and 
I focus on House Democrats--if they don't come to the table and act in 
good faith and negotiate in good faith. Senate Democrats have had a 
major part in this, and I welcome every bit of involvement they 
provide.
  One of the joys of being on the Armed Services Committee for me has 
been being able to see a functioning committee that works well across 
party lines. Obviously, Senate Republicans are all on board. House 
Republicans are all on board. For some reason, the House leadership on 
the Democratic side is focused on other priorities, and the contrast 
could not be more clear.
  While we have been working hard in the Senate on appropriations, as 
well as the Defense authorization, our chairman has used his voice--
Chairman Inhofe--and used his incredible work ethic and his wisdom in 
working with Senator Reed, the ranking Democrat, on getting these 
priorities to the forefront. I can't think of a better tandem than 
those two gentlemen.
  Chairman Inhofe is truly one of the hardest working, most decent, and 
honorable people I have ever worked with. Chairman Smith, the chairman 
in the House committee, could learn a few things from him.
  Again, while we passed the bill with overwhelming bipartisan support, 
the House bill was a much more partisan exercise. We want to prevent a 
government shutdown. We want to prevent a continuing resolution. So 
along with the NDAA, of course, is the Defense appropriations bill, and 
we have to get both of them done. We want to give our military a win-
win situation, where they get the pay raises, where they get the 
modernization they need, where new programs can be launched, and where 
we can provide long-term certainty.
  While we are trying to provide at least a win for our military, 
Democrats in the House are focused on trying to win the 2016 
Presidential election, not even thinking so much about the next one. 
They are involved in a kangaroo court over there. I watched a half hour 
of it today, and I could hardly believe what I was seeing. Today's 
political theater in the House is unnecessary, and 3 years into it, it 
is an outward demonstration of the inward motivation of a party that is 
trying to undo the Presidency of Donald Trump.
  Instead of prioritizing our constitutional responsibilities, they are 
engaged in political theater in a kangaroo court. I am pleading, once 
again, with my colleagues across the aisle and especially across the 
Capitol, in these last couple of days, while the negotiators are 
together trying to figure out a path forward, please come to the table, 
please act in good conscience. Please, please, please look for 
opportunities where we can compromise, and, for Pete's sake, let's at 
least pass the things we all agree on.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Mexico.
  Mr. HEINRICH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in 
morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.