05.25.16

‘It Takes A Lot Of Gall’

On NDAA, Sen. Reid’s Preference Is A ‘Last-Ditch Process’ In ‘A Lame-Duck Session’

SEN. MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): ‘There’s no reason for further delay from our Democratic colleagues’ “After two days of needless delay from across the aisle, this morning we’ll vote to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the National Defense Authorization Act, and hopefully adopt that motion quickly thereafter. This critical defense bill passed committee on a strong bipartisan basis, there’s no reason for further delay from our Democratic colleagues.” (Sen. McConnell, Floor Remarks, 5/25/16)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ): “We need to move forward with this legislation. We need to move forward with it now for the sake of the men and women who are serving and defending this Nation and putting their lives on the line.” (Sen. McCain, Congressional Record, S.3047, 5/23/16)

Last Five NDAAs Under The Democrat Controlled Senate Were Not Completed Until December

In the last five years Sen. Reid was Majority Leader, the National Defense Authorization Act did not pass the Senate until December, later than all previous NDAA bills going back to at least 1969. (“Defense Authorization And Appropriations Bills: FY1970-FY2016,” Congressional Research Service, 4/20/16)

  • FY’2011: H.R.6523 passed the Senate by unanimous consent on 12/22/10
  • FY’2012: H.R.1540 passed the Senate by unanimous consent on 12/1/11
  • FY’2013: H.R.4310 passed the Senate by unanimous consent on 12/4/12
  • FY’2014: H.R.3304 passed the Senate by an 84-15 vote on 12/19/13
  • FY’2015: H.R.3979 passed the Senate by an 89-11 vote on 12/12/14

All five of these bills were signed into law after December 1.  In the 18 previous years, only five NDAA bills were signed into law that late or later. (“Defense Authorization And Appropriations Bills: FY1970-FY2016,” Congressional Research Service, 4/20/16)

FY’2015 NDAA Especially Haphazard: ‘Full Senate Never Took [The Senate NDAA] Up,’ ‘Last-Ditch Process To Negotiate’ Final Bill, Passed ‘Without The Senate Considering Amendments’

H.R.3979 - Carl Levin and Howard P. ‘Buck’ McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015

“Defense policy legislation will reach the president's desk for the 53rd straight year, after the Senate cleared the $577.1 billion authorization in the waning hours of the 113th Congress...” (“Senate Clears Defense Policy Bill, Extending Streak to 53 Straight Years,” CQ Roll Call, 12/12/2014)

 “[T]his time the measure faced a bumpy passage process in a lame-duck session. Despite 10 months of debate on the issues, lawmakers barely found time to move the legislation onto the Senate's voting calendar, and skipped typical debate on a host of issues.” (“Defense Authorization Bill Heads To White House,” Military Times, 12/12/2014)

  • “The final legislation was the product of negotiations between Levin and McKeon, as well as their ranking committee members, in lieu of a formal conference process. James M. Inhofe of Oklahoma, the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he disliked the last-ditch process to negotiate, write and pass a final defense bill, but with little time left on the legislative calendar before the holidays, lawmakers had no alternative. ‘If we don't pass this bill, there is no other train leaving the station,’ Inhofe said. ‘There's no other way to do it.’” (“Senate Clears Defense Policy Bill, Extending Streak to 53 Straight Years,” CQ Roll Call, 12/12/2014)
  • “Levin and the Senate got the defense bill over the finish line despite some bumps -- and without the Senate considering amendments.” (“Massive Defense Policy Bill Sent To President,” Politico, 12/12/14)

‘It Takes A Lot Of Gall’?

SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV): “One of the things [Republicans] are talking about is Defense Authorization. It takes a lot of gall of John McCain… who has a bill that was decided in secret, closed hearings on this bill. Closed hearing coming up with a bill of 646 pages.” SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL): “Sixteen hundred.” REID: “Sixteen hundred and forty-six pages, thank you.” (Sen. Reid, Press Conference, 5/24/2016)

  • REID: “You would think that one thing we could do is look at this bill. This bill is not 64 pages long, not 164 pages long; it is 1,664 pages long. What makes it even more concerning to me and my colleagues is the fact that it was basically done in secret. It was a closed hearing... So before we begin consideration of this bill, it wouldn't be bad if we read it. It wouldn't be bad if we had a chance to study this. It wouldn't be a bad idea if we had our staff give us some information on this bill of 1,664 pages.” (Sen. Reid, Congressional Record, S. 3048, 5/23/2016)

###
SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS CENTER

Related Issues: Back to Work, Senate Democrats, National Security, America's Military, Restoring the Senate