Senator Mitch McConnell, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, issued a statement after Senate Democrats blocked consideration of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act. McConnell criticized the move, referring to an earlier government shutdown and its consequences.
“Two weeks ago, when Democrats chose to take the federal government hostage for partisan priorities, I warned that there would be nothing to gain from their shutdown. Today, our colleagues’ refusal even to begin considering the overwhelmingly bipartisan defense appropriations bill is a sobering reminder that there is, however, much to lose,” McConnell said.
He emphasized the constitutional responsibility to fund national defense, especially given current international security concerns. “Providing for the common defense is a solemn Constitutional obligation. It is gravely important every year — no less so in the face of the bipartisan consensus about the growing threats from increasingly aligned adversaries,” McConnell stated.
McConnell noted that while the Senate recently passed a National Defense Authorization Act increasing defense funding by over $30 billion, these measures require actual appropriations. “Last week, the Senate passed a National Defense Authorization Act that raised the defense topline by more than $30 billion to meet these growing threats. However, without appropriated dollars, such an authorization only grows the gap between our rhetoric and our action,” he said.
He warned about adversaries advancing their military capabilities. “Our adversaries are not standing still. They are growing their military capacities and preparing for the changing realities of modern warfare. The longer we wait to make sizable investments in our own defense, the more difficult it will be to restore deterrence and achieve peace through strength,” McConnell concluded.
