Contact: Caroline Rabbitt (202) 224-2353
Washington, D.C.-Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today released the following statement after President Obama vetoed the National Defense Authorization Act of 2016 (NDAA) :
"Vetoing the National Defense Authorization is an act unbecoming of a Commander in Chief. This bill contains countless important programs, policies, and authorizations-things that our troops on the front lines need today. Things like bigger cannons on Stryker vehicles in Europe to face down Vladimir Putin or improving our retirement and healthcare programs to recruit and retain the best warfighters. But more than that, this bill is about keeping the faith of the men and women of the armed services.
"I just returned from a trip to the Middle East, from visiting troops in Israel, in Turkey, in Jordan, in Iraq, in Kuwait, and in Afghanistan. This is not about Washington DC politics or press conferences, this is about the real impact it has on the men and women in uniform all around the world. Our troops are watching and they deserve to know they have a Commander-in-Chief who has their back. President Obama should reverse this disastrous course and sign the Defense Authorization Act. Then we can have whatever debate he wants about defense spending. But to gratuitously veto this bill for no other reason than to get more political leverage the President sends a deeply harmful message to our troops overseas."
