Friday, October 30, 2015

Billy Long: I will vote to override the NDAA veto

(From Seventh District Congressman Billy Long)

In an unprecedented move, this Fiscal Year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – a critical bill to national security and compensation for our troops – was met with a presidential veto after being sent to the Oval Office. Since it was first passed over 50 years ago, this is now only the fifth time in history that it has been unable to earn the president’s support.

Previous NDAA vetoes have centered discussion on Nimitz Class Aircraft Carrier funding, two specific missile defense policies, and a FY08 congressionally-supported veto over a late Iraq provision.

Incomparably, the White House shockingly rehashed settled issues like sequester budget cuts in 2013 and this administration’s desire to close the Guantanamo Bay detention camp (GTMO), as well as a “wide range” of other reforms as backings for this veto. As many people have already realized, this logic doesn't pass the smell test up against our government’s duties to prioritize national defense and compensation for citizens who’ve answered the call to serve.

This Administration signed off on sequestration back in 2013, which set a course to save $1.1 trillion by 2021. With this recent pivot in direction, the White House has now added the NDAA bill to the list of ways it has already tried to renege on this previous agreement.

With regard to Guantanamo, President Obama has campaigned and has threatened to close the prison since before he was even sworn into office. Despite this rhetoric, he’s never submitted a plan for closing the facility or where its detainees might be held. What’s more, this year’s NDAA contains the same restrictions on closing GTMO and transferring its inmates that the president has agreed to every year since 2010.

Perhaps most importantly though, despite any claim that the package would prevent reforms, this is the most reform-centered NDAA in decades and includes 12 of the 14 acquisition system reforms the administration asked for. Most notably, the bill extends a portable 401 (k)–designed retirement plan to 83% of troops who currently receive no retirement benefits and provides a 1.3% pay raise across the board. The bill also implements new important benefits for access to urgent care clinics and mental health providers. It also demands greater protections against sexual assault, strengthens our cyber defenses, and reinforces our mission to eradicate ISIL.

Threats in the Middle East and instabilities everywhere from East Asia to Europe call for us to stand for national security and give our military a sound foundation for success. Widespread politically-charged agendas should never overshadow those duties, and NDAA negotiations are the last place to play political games.

Before this veto, the NDAA passed the House with bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress. This cross-aisle majority of support already knows that this bill does the right things, and I find striking it down to be a deeply disappointing neglect of our patriotic duty. On November 5th, I will join the House in voting to override this veto, and will continue to put our national defense above all else.

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