President Obama Forgets His Defense Veto Threat

Editorial Cartoon by Joe Heller

Congress Has Shown Bi-Partisan Support For A Long-Term Defense Program, Which President Obama Has Vowed To Veto

President Obama Says Our Military Needs ‘Long-Term Planning,’ Contradicts His Veto Threat
PRESIDENT OBAMA: “Part of what makes us a leader is when we govern effectively, and we keep our own house in order. And we pass budgets. And we can engage in long-term planning… And we can't just keep on kicking down the road without solving any problems or doing any long-term planning for the future. That's true for our military.” (President Obama, Press Conference, 10/2/15)

• “New threats have emerged. New opportunities have appeared. We can't fund our country the way we did ten years ago because we have greater demands. With an aging population, with kids who need schools, with roads that need to be fixed, with a military on which we are placing extraordinary demands.” (President Obama, Press Conference, 10/2/15)

Yet, President Obama Wants To Veto Exactly That ‘Long-Term Planning’
“The House passed the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act Thursday, setting up a veto showdown with the Obama administration… President Obama has issued a veto threat against the bill, which senior administration officials warn he will follow through on. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Wednesday he has already recommended that the president veto it.” (“House Passes Defense Authorization, Setting Up Veto Showdown,” The Hill, 10/1/15)

Q: “On the Hill yesterday, lawmakers reached a compromise on the annual defense authorization bill.  And they have it so that it would use $90 billion believe from special war funds to avoid sequestration.  Would the White House oppose this bill on the grounds that it would end sequestration for defense but not other programs?” JOSH EARNEST, White House Press Secretary: “…if the President got this bill he’d veto.” (White House Press Briefing, 9/30/15)

Strong Bipartisan Support For 2016 Defense Authorization Bill
“After months of wrangling, the National Defense Authorization Act conference report is done and in the hands of lawmakers, and is expected to get a vote on the House floor as soon as Thursday. … Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) did sign the report, staffers said.” (“National Defense Authorization Compromise Is Done, But Dems Aren’t Backing It,” Washington Post, 9/29/15)

“The Senate on Wednesday voted 84-14 to end debate on the bill, known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)…” (“US Defense Bill…” International Business Times, 6/17/15)

• 31 Senate Democrats voted to end debate on the NDAA. (H.R. 1735, Motion To Invoke Cloture, Agreed To 84-14: R 52-1; D 31-12; I 1-1, 6/17/15)

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)

“The House passed the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act Thursday, setting up a veto showdown with the Obama administration. The 270-156 vote comes after the House and Senate Armed Services committees reached agreement on a final conference report earlier this week.”(“House Passes Defense Authorization, Setting Up Veto Showdown,” The Hill, 10/1/15)

• Conference Report Agreed To 270-156. (HR.1735, Roll Call Vote #532, Conference Report Agreed To 270-156: R: 233-10; D 37-146, 10/1/15)

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