Senate Dems Stop Filibustering Defense Authorization Bill | House Passes Intelligence Authorization Act

Today in Washington, D.C. - June 17, 2015
The House reconvened at 10 AM today. Bills which may be considered today:
H.R. 160 - "To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the excise tax on medical devices."
H.R. 1190 - "To repeal the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act providing for the Independent Payment Advisory Board."
H. Con. Res. 55 — "Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces deployed to Iraq or Syria on or after August 7, 2014, other than Armed Forces required to protect United States diplomatic facilities and personnel, from Iraq and Syria."

Yesterday the House passed H.R. 2596 (247-178) — "Intelligence Authorization Act authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2016 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes." Speaker Boehner noted on the passage of this bill, "Unfortunately, in what is becoming a pattern of recklessness, most Democrats voted against these critical resources to protect the nation. Democrats are so hell-bent on extracting more money for the IRS and the EPA that they’re willing to block funding for our national security. This is one of the most important votes we take, and Democrats gave it away to politics.

“I’m grateful for the sacrifices our intelligence professionals make, and I know the American people are as well.”

House Speaker Boehner (R-OH) released a statement today after the Select Committee on Benghazi announced it had received roughly 120 new pages of emails between Sidney Blumenthal and Secretary Clinton regarding Libya and Benghazi – emails withheld either by the Obama State Department or by Secretary Clinton herself:

“New revelations that the Obama State Department or former Secretary Hillary Clinton withheld emails related to Benghazi and Libya from the Select Committee are outrageous. First she set up a private server to avoid transparency and records law, then she wiped it clean while its contents were under subpoena – and apparently failed to ensure congressional investigators were provided with everything they are entitled to. What in the world is she trying to hide?”

NOTE: A recent CNN survey found that a majority of Americans approve of the way Republicans have handled the investigation into the September 11, 2012, terrorist attack on Americans in Benghazi, Libya. Speaker Boehner, Chairman Gowdy and many observers have repeatedly called for Secretary Clinton to turn over her private email server so that an independent third-party can review it. Why are democrats supporting (via polling) Hillary Clinton running for president.

The Senate reconvened at 9:30 AM today. Following an hour of morning business, the Senate resumed consideration of H.R. 1735, the Fiscal Year 2016 Defense Authorization bill.

Yesterday, Senate Democrats seemingly abandoned their threats to filibuster the Defense Authorization bill as they joined Republicans to cut off debate on the committee-passed McCain substitute amendment to the bill by a vote of 83-15.

Also yesterday the Senate rejected three amendments to the bill: one offered by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), which would have authorized the president to provide direct military assistance to the Kurds fighting the Islamic State; one offered by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), that would have removed the military chain of command from decisions to prosecute sexual assaults; and one offered by Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) which would have required the Army to maintain at least 32 brigade combat teams and the National Guard 28.

This morning, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, “It was heartening to see so many Democrats join us yesterday in advancing a good defense authorization bill by a big bipartisan margin. It now puts the Senate on a path to bring the bill to final passage tomorrow.

“Once that happens, the Senate will have taken a significant step toward doing right by the men and women who risk everything to protect us — it’s good news, but it’s not the end of the story either. Because while the defense authorization bill makes promises to our troops, it’s the defense appropriations bill that can actually fulfill those promises. That’s just the bill we’ll consider next.

“I would expect everyone who votes for the Defense authorization bill would also want to support moving to Defense appropriations. Because I’m sure every Democratic colleague who just voted to make promises to our troops will want to help us actually fulfill those promises by voting for the defense appropriations bill too.”

Previously, Leader McConnell noted, “The young men and women of our volunteer force don’t need a summer packed full of Democrat filibusters and they certainly don’t need a Democrat shutdown surprise in the fall — all they ask for are the weapons, the training, and the skills they need to prevail on the battlefield. . . . Democrats already joined with Republicans to make a promise to the troops, and with just a little more good bipartisan work we’ll see Democrats join with Republicans to fulfill it too. I have to think they will, because failing to do so would mean making empty promises to both constituents and to our troops.”

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