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National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020

Floor Speech

By: Jim Banks
By: Jim Banks
Date: July 12, 2019
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: National Security

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Mr. BANKS. Madam Speaker, I was proud to serve my country in uniform in Afghanistan, and now I am proud to serve in this Congress. I am proud to serve in a new and different way on what has historically been the most bipartisan committee, the House Armed Services Committee. Truth be told, I had expected that this committee above all other committees would always work together in support of our national security.

After all, for over 50 years this committee and this Congress have risen above partisan politics and passed the National Defense Authorization Act. Sadly, today it appears that tradition might come to an end.

Madam Speaker, it doesn't have to be that way. This motion is an opportunity for my friends on both sides of the aisle to rise above petty partisan politics and do what the American people sent us here to do: to support our troops and defend our homeland.

This year the NDAA has unfortunately become the Nondefense Authorization Act and instead has been hijacked with a partisan political agenda, unlike the last couple of years when we all actually worked together to restore military readiness.

At a time when our enemies are challenging us on the world stage, we simply cannot put our troops at risk and jeopardize our national security, which is exactly what the underlying bill would do.

Let us show the American people the leadership they deserve. Let us give our troops the raise they have earned. Let us restore readiness and pass a worthy National Defense Authorization Act.

Madam Speaker, mark my words, this is the moment of truth for this Congress. This is the single most defining moment of this Congress so far. This motion is an opportunity to show the American people that we can rise above petty partisan politics.

Will my colleagues on the other side of the aisle really vote against a well-earned pay raise for our troops or for bolstering our readiness accounts?

Madam Speaker, our soldiers, our sailors, our airmen, and our marines deserve better. The American people deserve better.

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