[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 9556-9557]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, the National Defense Authorization 
Act is one of the most important pieces of legislation Congress 
considers each and every year. That is why the new majority has made it 
one of our top priorities. It is why we have reversed the worrying 
trend of recent years, when we had seen such an important bill crammed 
in at the very last minute with little time for debate or for 
amendment.
  This year's Defense bill has undergone weeks of thorough and serious 
consideration under the regular order, both in committee and here on 
the floor. This year's Defense bill has been open to a vigorous and 
bipartisan amendment process, with amendments from both sides having 
been adopted already.
  It is a reform bill that aims to transform bureaucratic waste into 
crucial investments for the men and women who give everything--
everything--to protect us. It contains important quality-of-life 
programs for these servicemembers and for their families. It holds the 
promise of compassion for wounded warriors, and it extends a

[[Page 9557]]

hand of understanding to heroes who struggle with mental health 
challenges. It also authorizes the pay raises our troops have surely 
earned.
  It is a bill that contains input from both sides, and it is a bill 
that reflects priorities from both sides. That is why it sailed out of 
committee with huge bipartisan support, 22 to 4. That is why the House 
of Representatives passed a similar version with support from both 
parties.
  That is why one would think it would be headed towards strong 
bipartisan passage here in the Senate as well. But some Democratic 
leaders now want to hold pay raises and important medical programs for 
our troops hostage as leverage for unrelated partisan gains.
  It is all part of the filibuster summer they promised us. Democratic 
leaders have been quite open in detailing their strategy, which 
basically boils down to this: Deny our troops the benefits they have 
earned and even shut down the government if they can't extract more 
taxpayer dollars for bureaucracies such as the IRS.
  The American people don't want any part of this senseless filibuster 
summer vacation. But Democratic leaders already packed up their dusty 
Winnebago and--with ``Bigger IRS or bust'' scrawled on the back--are 
now barreling toward our troops and their families in a dangerous game 
of chicken.
  I am asking these leaders to please stop--please stop. This isn't 
some game. Please think about what you are doing.
  We live in exceedingly dangerous times. We are faced with the most 
``diverse and complex array of crises'' in the postwar era, and that is 
Henry Kissinger saying that. Nearly every week seems to bring another 
new example of ISIL's brutality.
  This is certainly not a moment to use our military as leverage in 
order to secure a few more bucks--a few more bucks--for bloated 
bureaucracies such as the IRS.
  All of this must make some of our Democratic colleagues uneasy. Some 
of them must be cringing at this strategy.
  I am asking every Democrat who is serious about supporting our troops 
and our national security to stand with the American people in 
rejecting these partisan games. Our all-volunteer force should be 
focused on training in combat and preparing for conflict, not worrying 
about the partisan delay of important policy authorizations. We all 
know how vital our troops are to both our country and our own local 
communities. I have come to the floor recently to talk about what the 
men and women of our military mean to Kentucky.
  I noted how, at Fort Campbell, more than 30,000 Army personnel 
trained for important missions around the world, from repeated 
deployments to Afghanistan to providing humanitarian support in places 
such as Africa. I noted how the base enriches the surrounding region 
with an economic impact of $5 billion each year. I noted how Fort Knox 
houses many different military commands in both a truly impressive 
array of training grounds and training facilities. I noted how the base 
makes an economic impact of more than $2 billion in Hardin County and 
the surrounding community.
  So today I wish to speak a little bit about Blue Grass Army Depot. 
The depot, located in Richmond, is integral to both the Army and our 
national security as a facilitation site for the storage, renovation, 
and disposal of conventional munitions. It also serves as a reminder of 
the many important tasks undertaken by the Department of Defense--and 
one more reason Kentuckians don't want to see the Department distracted 
or disrupted by partisan games here in Washington, because, after 
having personally implored the Department of Defense for several 
decades to meet our national commitment, the Department is now close to 
completing construction of a state-of-the-art chemical demilitarization 
facility at the depot. That would allow for the proper disposal of 
dangerous chemical weapons that are stored there.
  This is important for our country, and it is critical to the health 
and safety of my constituents in central Kentucky.
  But it has also become a good jobs story for the region too. There 
are more than 1,400 jobs at the Blue Grass Army Depot, and hiring will 
continue when operations at the new facility begin.
  Kentuckians know that passing the Defense bill before us would 
authorize a new Special Forces facility at Fort Campbell. Kentuckians 
know it would authorize construction projects and an important new 
medical clinic at Fort Knox.
  Kentuckians also know it would help the Department of Defense from 
becoming unnecessarily distracted or disrupted as it continues carrying 
out critical tasks such as the kind we see at the Blue Grass Army 
Depot, disposing of these dangerous chemical weapons.
  I am asking every Senator to remember all the ways our troops and our 
military enrich our States and local communities. I am asking every 
Senator to consider the serious times we live in, too. And I am asking 
every Senator to keep those things in mind when casting votes on the 
Defense bill.
  We may be Republicans, we may be Democrats, but in the end we should 
all be able to come together to support the people who support us. 
Let's stand together in rejecting partisan games in favor of a 
bipartisan bill that contains good ideas from both parties and gives 
President Obama the exact funding level he asked for. This bill gives 
President Obama the exact funding level he asked for. Let's worry less 
about the demands of one party's political base and more about 
supporting the brave men and women who live on the base.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Ms. HIRONO. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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