John Thune: “this week, the Senate will be taking up the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026. For the 65th…”

“this week, the Senate will be taking up the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026. For the 65th consecutive year, the NDAA is the product of a bipartisan process in both Chambers. This bill reflects the input, expertise, and tireless efforts of many of our colleagues, and I am especially grateful for the work of our colleagues on the Armed Services Committee and for the leadership of Chairman Wicker on this year's bill. This annual Defense bill is critical to ensuring the U.S. military is prepared for any threat we face--and not just the threats that may come in the next year. It is about putting us on a path that will ensure our military can deter and, if necessary, defeat any threat that may arise in the future. Unfortunately, this long view has not always prevailed, and we have continued to see the consequences of underinvestment in our military. In the last few years, we have had repeated reminders that the world remains a dangerous place, that there are evil people in the world bent on aggression, and that there are those who wish America and our allies harm. Sadly, that was clear this weekend. My prayers today are with the families of the three Americans--two soldiers and an interpreter--who were killed in Syria on Saturday in an apparent ISIS attack. The surest way of securing peace and keeping it is through restraint. It is a long-held tenet of American national security, and it is a view that the American people widely share.”