[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 115 (Wednesday, July 15, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4093-S4094]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                   National Defense Authorization Act

  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, Americans tend to trust Republicans more 
than Democrats when it comes to national security. And, boy oh boy, do 
Democrats seem determined to demonstrate why that is the case.
  Yesterday afternoon, Democrats voted against the National Defense 
Authorization Act, the annual bill that authorizes spending for our 
Nation's defense. Their ostensible excuse was the conflict in Iran.
  Well, in case they were operating under a misconception, I am happy 
to tell them that this year's National Defense Authorization Act is not 
an Iran funding supplemental. It is the annual--annual--legislation 
authorizing the basic needs of our military and the basic needs of our 
men and women in uniform, needs that exist no matter what is happening 
in Iran.
  Let's just talk about what the Democrats voted against yesterday. 
They voted against a pay increase for our troops. They voted against 
quality-of-life improvements for our troops. They voted against the 
reform of the Pentagon's acquisition process.
  They voted against funding for unmanned systems like drones and 
counter-drone measures, an essential--essential--security need in this 
day and age. They voted against shipbuilding efforts to strengthen our 
naval fleet. They voted against measures to maintain our Nation's 
airpower. They voted against including 38 of their own amendments. I 
could go on here, but you get the point.
  Once again, Democrats are playing fast and loose with our Nation's 
security. I say ``once again'' because Democrats have been playing fast 
and loose with our Nation's security all year.
  First, there was their recordbreaking full government shutdown last 
fall, which affected our military and all of our Nation's security 
Agencies, to say nothing of the impact that it had on air travel.
  Then there was their recordbreaking shutdown of the Department of 
Homeland Security, which lasted a staggering 76 days.
  Then, after that, Democrats refused to reauthorize a critical 
intelligence-gathering tool, which the Democrat leader himself has 
described as ``a very important tool for ensuring our national 
security.''

[[Page S4094]]

  And now they have blocked the Senate from considering the National 
Defense Authorization Act. And who knows what is next?
  In either a fit of self-delusion or an attempt to distract from their 
actions, Democrats are trying to peddle the narrative that somehow they 
can't agree to anything because Republicans are trying to make things 
partisan. That is right. Well, let me spend just a minute correcting 
the record here.
  The National Defense Authorization Act the Democrats voted against 
yesterday? Bipartisan. That is right. The National Defense 
Authorization Act is bipartisan legislation. Four Democrats voted for 
the bill--for the bill--at the committee markup.
  Democrats' recordbreaking full government shutdown in the fall? Well, 
that was because they wouldn't accept a nonpartisan, short-term, clean 
government funding extension to allow bipartisan negotiations to 
continue.
  The Democrats' recordbreaking Department of Homeland Security 
shutdown? Well, that was also because Democrats couldn't take yes for 
an answer.
  Democrats and Republicans had agreed on a bipartisan DHS funding 
bill. Democrats reneged on that agreement because they wanted to 
negotiate for more, and Republicans said yes to negotiation.
  And then Democrats shut down the Department anyway, even though 
Republicans were willing to negotiate further--even though the White 
House repeatedly offered a robust package of reforms.
  So as I said, I don't know whether it is self-delusion or deliberate 
deception, but I have heard few things more ludicrous than Democrats' 
narrative that they can't agree to legislation because Republicans are 
being partisan.
  Here are the facts: Democrats can't bring themselves to authorize 
funding for our Nation's security, whether that is security at our 
border, funding for our military, or paychecks for our troops. It 
doesn't matter how bipartisan the bill is; Democrats can't bring 
themselves to support our Nation's security.
  Is it politics? Do Democrats think that voting against our national 
defense and our Nation's military will gain them points with their base 
or do they simply think they can afford to ignore our Nation's defense 
needs until some hostile actor takes advantage of our weakness?
  I don't know, but I do know that our Nation is less safe because of 
Democrats' actions.
  I yield the floor.
  I 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. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum 
call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.