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




                   NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, now on NDAA, the Defense Act, we begin 
an important week for what will be an important final month of 2021.
  Later today, the Senate will vote on cloture on the substitute 
amendment to the NDAA. NDAA has been passed by this Chamber for over 60 
years, and there is no good reason why this year should be any 
different.
  Before Thanksgiving, the Senate worked in as bipartisan way as it 
could to lay the groundwork for advancing the Defense bill. Senate 
Armed Services Committee Chairman Reed and Ranking Member Inhofe 
reached an agreement, a bipartisan agreement, on a package of 18 
amendments--let me repeat that; 18 amendments, folks--for the Senate to 
hold rollcall votes on. Nearly half of those amendments were led by a 
Republican. That would be more amendments to the NDAA receiving 
rollcall votes than in the last 4 years combined.
  We also agreed to the substitute amendment, which included at least 
50 amendments, 27 of which were led by a Republican. Senator Inhofe, 
the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, agreed to this.
  In any other time, this would be considered a very fair and generous 
compromise. Even though every Member didn't get every amendment they 
wanted, the leadership on both sides would have made sure that cloture 
was granted.
  Unfortunately, Republicans could not accept this agreement before 
Thanksgiving, but we hope that Republican dysfunction will not be a 
roadblock to passing this bill and taking care of our troops and their 
families.

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