Senator McCain made the following remarks on the floor of the United States Senate regarding the 2011 National Defense Authorization Act:
“I rise today to speak about the way the Majority Leader has decided to proceed on the 2011 National Defense Authorization Act – and more broadly, the unfortunate politicization of this legislation over the past two years."
“For as long as I have been privileged to be a member of this body, the Senate has done a pretty good job of keeping the National Defense Authorization Act out of partisan, political fights that have little or nothing to do with the U.S. military, the brave men and women serving in it, and our national defense programs more broadly.
There has even been a healthy degree of bipartisan cooperation to prevent items that are unrelated to our national defense from crowding out time for debate and amendments germane to our national security priorities. Sure, we have had our fights over this legislation in the past, and at times they’ve been pretty heated, but they were debates overwhelmingly focused on national defense, and
whatever our differences we had through that process, we came together at the end of the day to keep this legislation focused on our national defense and all who ensure it.
“What troubles me is how far off course we have gotten over the past two years. Under this Majority Leader, we have witnessed the unfortunate and growing politicization of the National Defense Authorization Act. Time to offer and debate important, defense-related amendments to this bill on the floor is being limited or cut off, so that the Majority Leader can push through highly political legislation that has little or nothing to do with national defense – legislation that would never be referred to the Armed Services Committee if it were introduced independently. This is turning legislation related to our national defense and military preparedness into a vehicle to force a partisan agenda through the Senate, often on a party line vote. And what’s worse, the Majority Leader is pushing this controversial agenda under the cover of supporting our troops, knowing that the National Defense Authorization Act is a must-pass bill, and whatever else is in it will inevitably become law as a result."
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