Democrats Block Defense Funding They Previously Agreed To

Senate Democrats Previously Said Of The Bipartisan Government Funding Agreement: ‘I Urge My Colleagues On Both Sides Of The Aisle To Vote Yes,’ ‘[O]ur Constituents Rightly Expect Us To Come Together … And Accept This Budget’

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): “Mr. President, in a short time the Senate will vote on final passage of a bipartisan agreement to lift the budget caps for 2 years and extend the debt ceiling. It is an agreement that will strengthen our national security and provide our troops with the resources they need to do a very difficult and often dangerous job…. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote yes. Let’s give our military, our middle class a boost …” (Sen. Schumer, Congressional Record, S.5287, 8/01/2019)

SEN. PATTY MURRAY (D-WA): “[O]ur constituents rightly expect us to come together, pay our nation’s bills and accept this budget …” (Sen. Murray, Press Conference, 7/23/2019)

SEN. PAT LEAHY (D-VT): “In the last two and a half years because we have had a budget agreement we have been able to put through for the first time in years appropriations bills by large, large bipartisan majorities. With this latest agreement the Appropriations Committee, Senator Shelby and I, and those Democrats and Republicans who serve on the committee, we will be able now do that again. I fully expect we will put through all of our appropriations bills and we will do them with a large bipartisan majority.” (Sen. Leahy, Press Conference, 7/23/2019)

Yet In Yesterday’s Vote, Democrats Blocked A Pay Raise For Our Troops And Hundreds Of Billions In Critical Funding For Our Armed Forces

“Senate Democrats rejected a GOP push Wednesday to start debating a $1 trillion spending package that would fund the military and the bulk of the federal government's non-defense programs. The chamber failed 51-44 to get the 60 votes needed to overcome a test vote on the first ‘minibus,’ H.R. 2740, the House passed this summer to fund the Labor-HHS-Education, Defense, State Foreign-Operations and Energy-Water bills.” (“Senate Democrats Defeat Test Vote On Four-Bill Spending Package,” Politico Pro, 9/18/2019)

This Year’s Defense Appropriations Bill Includes A Pay Raise For Our Servicemembers, Disaster Relief Funds For Military Bases, Critical Funding For Missile Defense, Assistance For Ukraine And Much More

SEN. RICHARD SHELBY (R-AL), Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman: “Without sustained and predictable investments to restore readiness and modernize our military, we will rapidly lose our military advantage – something we cannot afford in light of increasing national security challenges from around the globe.” (U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, Press Release, 9/12/2019)

“Supports a military pay raise of 3.1 percent … [f]ully funds the request of $250.0 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative … includes $10.58 billion for Missile Defense Agency (MDA), an increase of $1.2 billion … [s]upports Air Force nuclear modernization … [and includes] additional appropriations for disaster relief … designated for necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricanes Michael and Florence and flooding and earthquakes occurring in fiscal year 2019.” (U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, Press Release, 9/12/2019)