Nothing says "we support the troops" quite like blocking the bill that funds them, and Senate Democrats decided Tuesday was a great day to prove that point. As Conservative Brief reported, Democrats voted to block a procedural motion on the National Defense Authorization Act, which is the annual legislation that authorizes funding and policy priorities for the Pentagon and the U.S. military. This is one of those bills that historically passes with bipartisan support because, you know, having a functioning military is generally considered a good idea regardless of which team you root for.
Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, summed up the Republican frustration nicely. "It's very disappointing," Banks told Fox News. "It's about supporting our troops, supporting our military, and it's disappointing when Democrats play games with that."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer had a different take, arguing on the Senate floor that Republicans were trying to move forward "as though none of this is happening," referring to the Trump administration's renewed military campaign against Iran. "The president is waging an unauthorized war, defying bipartisan majorities in Congress, refusing to level with the American people at the cost of the mission or the endgame," Schumer said. "The NDAA cannot become a permission slip for that recklessness that we see occurring in Iran."
So Democrats are concerned about Iran and also about the roughly $1.15 trillion price tag attached to the bill. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) acknowledged his opposition was unusual but said the bill should include additional limits on Trump's authority to conduct military operations in Iran and a clearer explanation of where all that money is coming from. "The absence of knowing where this money is coming from to do this dramatic top-line increase? That still has to get resolved," Kaine told Fox News.
Here is where it gets a little silly. Republicans pointed out that voting to advance the bill would allow for an amendment process where Democrats could, I don't know, propose amendments addressing their exact concerns. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) laid it out plainly. "Whether we like it or not, people decide to be our enemies. They want to destroy us. So I think we ought to, you know, get on the bill and if we need to do amendments, let's start amending it."
That logic seems almost too reasonable for the Senate, which is probably why it did not work.
The trouble was already brewing when nine of 13 Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee voted against advancing the legislation. Meanwhile, Schumer sent a letter to his caucus accusing Republicans of "manufacturing a partisan process" for spending talks. Republicans fired back that Democrats are the ones blocking the bill from even reaching the floor for debate.
Congress faces a September 30 deadline to fund the government for the 2027 fiscal year, according to the Washington Times. So if you were hoping the adults in Washington might get their act together before another potential shutdown right around midterm elections, maybe temper those expectations just a touch.
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