America’s Troops Are Not ‘A Waste Of Time’

Will Democrats Hold A ‘50-Year Tradition Of Bipartisan Cooperation… That Advances The Security Of Our Nation’ Hostage For IRS Bonuses?

Dem Leadership ‘Bright Lines’ – No Money For Troops Without Bonuses For IRS, TSA, EPA, Etc.

Recalling 2014 Bonuses Handed Out To IRS Agents
Who Were Tax Cheats (Media Research Center)

SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV) on S.1376, the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act: “I think it really is kind of a waste of time.” (Sen. Reid, Press Conference, 6/2/15)

PRESIDENT OBAMA issues veto threat to S.1376: “First, the President has been very clear about the core principle that … he will not fix defense without fixing non-defense spending.” (Obama Administration Statement Of Administration Policy, S.1376, 6/2/15)

• “If this bill were presented to the President, the President’s senior advisors would recommend to the President that he veto it.” (Obama Administration Statement Of Administration Policy, S.1376, 6/2/15)
• Similar to the veto threat issued against the House NDAA, H.R.1735: “[The President] will not fix defense without fixing non-defense spending. … If this bill were presented to the President, the President’s senior advisors would recommend to the President that he veto it.” (White House Statement Of Administration Policy, H.R.1735, 5/12/15)

ERIC SCHULTZ, Principal Deputy Press Secretary: ‘The President … will not fix defense without fixing nondefense spending’ “The President has been very clear about his core principle that he will not support a budget that locks in sequestration, and he will not fix defense without fixing nondefense spending.” (White House Press Briefing, 5/15/15)

JENNIFER FRIEDMAN, White House Spokeswoman: ‘The President… will not fix defense without adjusting non-defense spending’ “‘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 adjusting non-defense spending,’ Friedman said.” (“White House Blasts GOP Defense Budget Plan,” The Hill, 4/28/15)

Administration Official: ‘We’re not fixing defense without nondefense’ “‘We’ve been pretty clear about what our bright lines are. We’re not locking in sequestration and we’re not fixing defense without nondefense,’ said an administration official. ‘That absolutely extends to trying to fix defense with gimmicks like overfunding OCO. … That is fixing defense without nondefense and that’s what the president said he won’t accept.’” (“Hawks Face Big Obstacle On Defense Spending: President Obama,” Politico, 3/31/15)

Strong Bipartisan Support For The 2016 NDAA Bills So Far>
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 passed the House of Representatives 269-151. (H.R.1735, Roll Call Vote #239, Passed 269-151: R 228-8; D 41-143, 5/15/15)

“…details of the committee’s markup of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016. The committee on Thursday voted, 22-4, to report the bill, which authorizes $612 billion funding for the Department of Defense and the national security programs of the Department of Energy. ‘This is a reform bill,’ McCain said.”
(Senate Armed Services Committee, Press Release, 5/14/15)

Continuing A ‘50-Year Tradition Of Bipartisan Cooperation… That Advances The Security Of Our Nation’
FORMER CHAIRMAN CARL LEVIN (D-MI): “The Senate has indeed demonstrated, even in our own era, that bipartisanship is not extinct. The Senate Armed Services Committee has upheld a more than 50-year tradition of bipartisan cooperation to produce an annual Defense Authorization Act that advances the security of our Nation. I am grateful to the members of the U.S. military and their families for their selfless sense of duty. But I am also grateful for the way they have inspired us, year after year, to come together across lines of party and ideology to support them… We have passed a defense authorization bill to accomplish these things each year for more than half a century by laying aside partisan differences for the common good. We have never allowed disagreements over policy to interfere with our duty to our troops and their families” (Sen. Levin, Congressional Record, S.6702, 12/12/14)

SEN. JACK REED (D-RI): “For over 50 consecutive years this Senate has passed a defense authorization bill. I hope we will be able to send the bill before us to the President for his signature. We owe it to our service members to pass a law that will support them and enable the DOD to execute this year's budget efficiently and effectively…” (Sen. Jack Reed, Floor Remarks, 12/10/14)

‘$612 Billion, The Budget Level Requested By The President’
OBAMA BUDGET: “Maintaining the nation’s security: The President’s Budget includes $612 billion of national defense discretionary funds…” (“Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Of The U.S. Government,” Office Of Management And Budget, P.44, 2/2/15)

SENATE NDAA: “The Senate’s Fiscal 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, known as the NDAA in legislative speak, would give the Defense Department $612 billion, the budget level requested by the president.” (“John McCain: Holding Defense Bill Hostage Isn’t Solution To Sequestration,” Washington Times, 6/2/15)

HOUSE NDAA: House bill ‘would provide the entire $611.9 billion desired by the president, but Obama and Democratic lawmakers still opposed it’ “Overall, the House bill authorizes $515 billion for national defense and another $89.2 billion for the emergency war-fighting fund for a total of $604.2 billion. Another $7.7 billion is mandatory defense spending that doesn't get authorized by Congress. That means the bill would provide the entire $611.9 billion desired by the president, but Obama and Democratic lawmakers still opposed it.” (“House Defies Obama Veto Threat, Passes Defense Policy Bill,” The New York Times, 5/15/15)

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