On the recordJuly 20, 2022
Mr. President, one of the most important bills that we take up every year is the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, legislation authorizing funding for our military men and women and the defense of our country. The Senate Armed Services Committee passed this year's bipartisan bill a month ago, and we have less than 2 months of floor time left in the fiscal year. The Senate Democrats' focus this month is on a last-ditch effort to pass some version of their Build Back Better tax-and-spending spree in hopes, I have to assume, of eking out a few more votes in November. Apparently, the National Defense Authorization Act will just have to wait. As it does every year, this year's NDAA authorizes funding for critical military priorities. The fiscal year 2023 NDAA continues the modernization efforts begun several years ago in the wake of the 2018 National Defense Strategy Commission report, which warned that our Nation's readiness had eroded to the point where we might struggle to win a war against a major power like Russia or China. It authorizes funding to improve quality of life for our military members and their families, which is not only something we owe these men and women who sacrifice so much for us but is also essential for recruiting and retaining members of our all-volunteer force. It authorizes funding to enhance our nuclear deterrence, a key priority with continued nuclear threats from traditional powers like Russia and rogue states like Iran and North Korea.…





