Pelosi Dear Colleague Urging 'No' Vote on Republicans' National Defense Authorization Act

May 14, 2015

Dear Democratic Colleague,

Recognizing that our first responsibility is to protect and defend, Democrats stand for a strong national defense.  That is why we support lifting the sequester and fully funding the President's defense budget request.

However, the Republican defense authorization bill before the House is both bad budgeting and harmful to military planning – perpetuating uncertainty and instability in the defense budget, and damaging the military's ability to plan and prepare for the future.

As Defense Secretary Carter said last week, Republicans' approach is "clearly a road to nowhere," "managerially unsound" and "unfairly dispiriting to our force."

As the Administration's veto threat states, "The President has been very clear about the core principle that he will not support a budget that locks in sequestration, and he will not fix defense without fixing non-defense spending… The use of OCO funding to circumvent budget caps in defense spending also ignores the long-term connection between national security and economic security… Further, the bill fails to adopt many of the needed force structure and weapons systems reforms included in the President's Budget… The Committee's changes would constrain the ability of DOD to align military capability and force structure with the President's defense strategy and to reduce unneeded costs."

As Ranking Member Adam Smith said in his statement opposing the bill, "Both Democrats and Republicans agree that the Budget Control Act caps are extremely damaging and as long as Congress fails to enact a solution, a variety of key national priorities will continue to suffer.  I understand that finding a compromise to remove the caps has been elusive, but that does not justify the use of gimmicks to protect one part of the budget, and shortchange other portions that are vitally important to the future of our country.  Even worse, this short-term work-around does not enable the Department of Defense to undertake long term planning or provide the certainty that they can count on such funding in the future.  I have great respect for Chairman Thornberry, but I cannot vote for this bill under these circumstances."

Also very troubling, the Brooks amendment was adopted on the floor tonight, which stripped a critical provision passed in committee by Congressman Ruben Gallego on behalf of our nation's DREAMers hoping to serve in the military.

Republicans should come together with Democrats in a fiscally responsible way to protect our national security and grow our economy.  Until then, I urge a no vote on the Republicans' National Defense Authorization Act to sustain the President's veto.

Thank you for your leadership.

best regards,