[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 123 (Tuesday, July 18, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2968-S2969]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                   National Defense Authorization Act

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, later today, the Senate will vote to 
begin consideration of this year's National Defense Authorization Act. 
The NDAA is our most significant opportunity to set priorities for 
competition with adversaries like China and Russia.
  It is our chance to keep the Biden administration focused on critical 
missions, like rebuilding America's defense industrial base, instead of 
the woke partisan agenda of political appointees. It is our time to lay 
the groundwork of robust investments in hard power.
  For 62 straight years, from the thick of the Cold War through the 
Global War on Terror, the Senate has used the NDAA to match tailored 
solutions to evolving national security challenges.
  This year is no different. Ranking Member Wicker, Chairman Reed, and 
our colleagues on the Armed Services Committee considered 445 
amendments

[[Page S2969]]

and adopted 286 of them. Here on the floor, the full Senate should do 
the same. Senate Republicans are committed to exceeding the President's 
woefully inadequate defense budget request and delivering the resources 
our Armed Forces actually require. So I expect the Democratic leader to 
allow thorough consideration for a range of important amendments as we 
begin that work with the NDAA.
  First and foremost, I would like to remind all of our colleagues that 
the No. 1 piece of business on the Senate's agenda is actually already 
overdue. So it is especially important that we begin this process 
without further delay.