WASHINGTON, D.C. -- House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-Wash.) released the following statement in advance of next week’s expected floor vote on H.R. 8800, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27 NDAA).
“The annual defense authorization bill is a critically important piece of legislation, particularly in light of President Trump’s blatant efforts to erode our democratic processes and the functions of our constitutional Republic. If Congress doesn’t pass legislation, it makes Trump’s ongoing fascist takeover easier, especially when combined with Republican leadership continuing to cede all legislative power and responsibility as a coequal branch of government.
“I have an enormous amount of respect for congressional process and the fair and bipartisan product that we’ve been able to pass out the Armed Services Committee for over 60 years. Our national security and national defense are crucial components of our country’s success. The United States clearly faces adversaries that we need to deter. Military might can’t do the job alone. We must have strong, clearheaded diplomacy—not the president’s current flailing attempts that have relied on two real estate developers and undercut our talented and experienced diplomatic corps—and work with partners and allies as well as build a stronger defense. To those who argue that we don’t have adversaries, or if we isolate ourselves from the rest of the world we will be left alone, that is a dangerous and demonstrably false assumption. I agree the U.S. must stop trying to dominate the globe, but we also still have a role to play in working with allies and friends for the benefit of global stability.
“The problem with this year’s defense authorization bill is that it comes with the inclusion of $1.15 trillion in discretionary spending for the DoD, National Nuclear Security Agency, and other national security programs. Our country faces threats and DoD has modernization needs, but I cannot and do not support meeting these needs by making massive cuts to critically important domestic programs and slashing taxes. We need to be more fiscally responsible and DoD needs to become more innovative and efficient in terms of developing capabilities to meet our national security needs in a more cost-effective manner. We also need to develop a realistic national security strategy and approach that doesn’t require a $1.15 trillion discretionary budget request and another partisan budget reconciliation process that includes an additional $60 to $350 billion for defense.
“Finally, based on the rule that failed on the House floor two weeks ago, the bill is likely to be loaded up with toxic amendments that continue the rightwing culture war assault on the LGBTQ+ community and preempts State and local laws under the guise of military readiness. That same rule included almost no democratic amendments that would have allowed debate on serious issues such as the topline budget number, Trump’s Battleship, the war against Iran, domestic deployments of the military, defending free press, speech, and elections, and ethical issues and corruption by the Trump Administration.
“While I voted to advance the bill out of committee, I am likely to oppose final passage based on its support for an unprecedented $1.15 trillion in discretionary national security spending, while also closely monitoring the outcome of any potential poison pill amendments.”
“The annual defense authorization bill is a critically important piece of legislation, particularly in light of President Trump’s blatant efforts to erode our democratic processes and the functions of our constitutional Republic. If Congress doesn’t pass legislation, it makes Trump’s ongoing fascist takeover easier, especially when combined with Republican leadership continuing to cede all legislative power and responsibility as a coequal branch of government.
“I have an enormous amount of respect for congressional process and the fair and bipartisan product that we’ve been able to pass out the Armed Services Committee for over 60 years. Our national security and national defense are crucial components of our country’s success. The United States clearly faces adversaries that we need to deter. Military might can’t do the job alone. We must have strong, clearheaded diplomacy—not the president’s current flailing attempts that have relied on two real estate developers and undercut our talented and experienced diplomatic corps—and work with partners and allies as well as build a stronger defense. To those who argue that we don’t have adversaries, or if we isolate ourselves from the rest of the world we will be left alone, that is a dangerous and demonstrably false assumption. I agree the U.S. must stop trying to dominate the globe, but we also still have a role to play in working with allies and friends for the benefit of global stability.
“The problem with this year’s defense authorization bill is that it comes with the inclusion of $1.15 trillion in discretionary spending for the DoD, National Nuclear Security Agency, and other national security programs. Our country faces threats and DoD has modernization needs, but I cannot and do not support meeting these needs by making massive cuts to critically important domestic programs and slashing taxes. We need to be more fiscally responsible and DoD needs to become more innovative and efficient in terms of developing capabilities to meet our national security needs in a more cost-effective manner. We also need to develop a realistic national security strategy and approach that doesn’t require a $1.15 trillion discretionary budget request and another partisan budget reconciliation process that includes an additional $60 to $350 billion for defense.
“Finally, based on the rule that failed on the House floor two weeks ago, the bill is likely to be loaded up with toxic amendments that continue the rightwing culture war assault on the LGBTQ+ community and preempts State and local laws under the guise of military readiness. That same rule included almost no democratic amendments that would have allowed debate on serious issues such as the topline budget number, Trump’s Battleship, the war against Iran, domestic deployments of the military, defending free press, speech, and elections, and ethical issues and corruption by the Trump Administration.
“While I voted to advance the bill out of committee, I am likely to oppose final passage based on its support for an unprecedented $1.15 trillion in discretionary national security spending, while also closely monitoring the outcome of any potential poison pill amendments.”
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