[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 205 (Monday, November 29, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8768-S8769]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, today's Democratic Party does not 
make the policy decisions of a party that is serious about protecting 
our country.
  In May, President Biden released a budget proposal that proposed a de 
facto cut in defense spending, and that was before the President's own 
supercharged inflation further cut the purchasing power of every 
defense dollar.
  In August, his botched Afghanistan retreat shattered our allies' 
trust and delighted the terrorists. In 10 months in office, despite 
naive happy talk from the administration, the threats we face are 
markedly worse. The vacuum they left in Afghanistan has emboldened 
terrorists, from Iran's militias in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen to the 
highest ranks of the Taliban's government.
  Their desperation to return to a failed nuclear deal has given Iran 
the upper hand in negotiations.
  For 4 years, my colleague the Democratic leader seemed constantly 
focused on Putin and Russia. But now, with Putin flaunting his power 
and Russia engaged in ongoing cyber attacks, weapons tests, and troop 
buildups? Crickets.
  And for all their talk about China's threat, we have seen no evidence 
that Democrats intend for the United States to keep pace with the PLA's 
investments in nuclear and hypersonic weapons.
  The bipartisan National Defense Strategy Commission has made clear 
that we cannot shortchange our military modernization and have a prayer 
of competing with the People's Republic of China or even the declining 
but dangerous Russian Republic.
  Our colleagues across the aisle have missed one opportunity after 
another to right the ship. They have used the reconciliation process to 
pass trillions in new partisan spending without a cent for defending 
the Nation.
  And despite the strong bipartisan work of our colleagues on the Armed 
Services Committee, the Democratic leader kept this year's Defense 
authorization bill in limbo literally for months and now wants to block 
the Senate from a real debate and a real amendment process.

[[Page S8769]]

  Debating the right way to confront Russian threats to America and our 
allies and equip our friends in Ukraine is certainly worth the Senate's 
time. Putin is massing tens of thousands of troops on Ukraine's border, 
but the Democratic leader is trying to block a debate about responding 
to Russian aggression? It makes no sense.
  Considering sanctions on the pipeline that fuels Putin's encroachment 
over Europe--including provisions from Senator Risch that closely 
mirror language that the House added unanimously--is certainly worth 
the Senate's time. Setting the record straight on our resolve to 
maintain a strong and credible nuclear deterrent that can check the 
worst impulses of our adversaries is also worth the Senate's time.
  Yet, once again, the Democratic leader seems to want to put national 
security last. My colleague is trying to overcorrect for poor planning 
by cramming a 2-week bill into 2 or 3 days' time. I imagine there might 
be finger-pointing at the Republicans if that proves impossible.
  So nothing less than the safety of the American people is at stake. 
This is more important than political timetables or partisan wish 
lists. So if the Democratic leader insists on forcing a cloture vote 
later today, I will oppose cutting off these important debates 
prematurely when they have really just begun.

                          ____________________