Chris Van Hollen: “we are considering the National Defense Authorization Act at a time when our democracy and our Constitution are under…”

“we are considering the National Defense Authorization Act at a time when our democracy and our Constitution are under attack from a lawless President. We are also in the middle of a 9-day-long government shutdown, and we should be working to get the government open. Instead, Senate Republicans are seeking to conduct business-as-usual instead of addressing the impending spike in healthcare costs for American families and responsibly funding the government. The NDAA includes critical investments in our national defense. Maryland has a key role to play in developing the technologies of the future that will keep our Nation at the cutting-edge and is the proud home of tens of thousands of military personnel and civilians working in the defense sector, as well as critical military installations. I have continually pressed for resources for our servicemembers and veterans and their families and investments in the military installations in our State that conduct groundbreaking research and support our defense. But these are not normal times. We are witnessing an authoritarian power-grab by President Trump, and Congress has a responsibility to stand up as a coequal, not subservient, branch of this government. We need to call it what it is: President Trump is using the power of the government, including the U.S. military, to coerce and silence voices he disagrees with. This is a playbook that dictators have used around the world, and now, it is the Trump playbook.”