Speech #1140055036

In recent weeks. some of my Democratic colleagues and the President have threatened to block this legislation because of disagreements about broader spending issues that are totally unrelated to defense and totally unrelated to authorizing. Everything to do with their problems has to do with appropriations spending. not authorization. The President made it clear that he will "not fix defense without fixing nondefense spending." In this day of multiple crises around the worldas these crises and wars and conflicts and refugees unfoldthe Presidents priority seems to be the funding mechanism. which has nothing to do with the defense authorization. Henry Kissinger. as well as many of our most respected national security leaders. has called it the most diverse and complex array of crises around the world since the end of World War II. and there are more refugees in the world than at any time since World War II. The President is threatening to veto this legislation. which contains vital authoritiesnot just authorities but the ability of our men and women who are serving in uniform to defend this Nationso he can prove a political point. The President is threatening to veto this bill to defend the Nation in order to prove a political point.