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The Leader Board • Remarks
July 15th, 2026

Democrats Once Again Put Politics Ahead of National Security

“I can assure you after having spent a great deal of time with our military, the current young Americans that I have met won’t let us lose our freedom on their watch… I know what the rest of the world thinks about America. The bad guys fear us and people seeking to be free look up to us. Two hundred and fifty years later, we must be doing something right.” – Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) (7/4/26)

YESTERDAY, EVERY SINGLE PRESENT SENATE DEMOCRAT VOTED AGAINST BEGINNING DEBATE ON THE FY27 NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT (NDAA)

“Democrats can’t bring themselves to authorize funding for our nation’s security – whether that’s security at our border, funding for our military, or paychecks for our troops. It doesn’t matter how bipartisan the bill. Democrats can’t bring themselves to support our nation’s security.” – Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.)

  • “Senate Democrats on Tuesday defeated a motion to proceed to the $1.15 trillion annual defense authorization bill, legislation that usually enjoys strong bipartisan support… The motion to advance the annual defense bill failed by a vote of 50 to 46. It needed 60 votes to succeed.” (The Hill: Senate Democrats block $1.15 trillion defense authorization bill – 7/14/26)
  • Typically an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, the Senate Armed Services Committee advanced the NDAA with an 18-9 vote, with all 9 no votes coming from Democrats. (U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services: SASC Completes Markup of National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 – 6/11/26; Politico: Inside Congress: Graham’s death makes a hard month harder – 7/13/26)
  • The NDAA has been successfully enacted into law for 65 consecutive years. (CBS News: Senate passes NDAA in 77-20 vote, sending $900 billion defense policy bill to Trump – 12/17/25)
  • “Republicans think Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is angling for another showdown over government funding right before the midterm election, just as he and other Democrats forced a big fight last year over the expiration of enhanced health insurance subsidies.” (The Hill: Senators brace for another government shutdown after spending talks stall – 6/24/26)
  • “That concern has grown on Capitol Hill after negotiations between Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), the top Democrat on the Appropriations panel, stalled.” (The Hill: Senators brace for another government shutdown after spending talks stall – 6/24/26)

THE NDAA, WHICH DEMOCRATS BLOCKED FROM CONSIDERATION, STRENGTHENS AMERICA’S MILITARY COMPETITIVENESS IN A DANGEROUS WORLD AND INCLUDES DOZENS OF BIPARTISAN AMENDMENTS

“[I]t reflects a decision and a mindset on the part of Sen. Schumer not to cooperate at all because so much of this has been done on a bipartisan basis. It really is a new low.” – Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)

  • “Enacted annually, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) establishes funding levels and authorities for the U.S. military and other critical defense priorities, ensuring America’s armed forces have the training, equipment, and resources necessary to fulfill their missions.” (U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services: Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act – accessed 7/15/26)
  • “Facing an axis of aggressors including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, the United States is now competing in the most perilous threat environment since the second World War. This competition will determine whether the 21st century will be American led, or defined by authoritarian, autocratic regimes that care little for the needs of their citizens. For that reason, we must be ready to deter conflicts and, if necessary, to win then.” (U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services: Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act – accessed 7/15/26)
  • The $1.15 trillion NDAA contains 86 bipartisan amendments and heavily emphasizes innovation and procurement of munitions, Air Force fighters, shipbuilding, and unmanned systems. (U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services: Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act – accessed 7/15/26)
    • “America’s defense industrial base is becoming more prepared to sustain a major war, according to a new report… However, the study — described as a progress report on reforms to the defense manufacturing and acquisition system — still found numerous problems with ramping up and sustaining wartime production.” (MilitaryTimes: US industrial base is becoming stronger for wartime production, study finds – 7/13/26)
    • “For example, ‘according to several measures — manufacturing lead times, critical munitions and materials stockpiles, and supply chain security — the U.S. industrial base has a long way to go to achieve resilience,’ warned the analysis by CSIS’s Center for the Industrial Base.” (MilitaryTimes: US industrial base is becoming stronger for wartime production, study finds – 7/13/26)
  • The legislation also authorizes a 3.6% pay increase to all military members and additional quality-of-life improvements for service members and their families, including but not limited to new funding for children with disabilities, increasing maximum tuition assistance benefits, and upgrades to military base and housing infrastructure. (U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services: Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act – accessed 7/15/26)

THIS IS ONLY THE LATEST INSTANCE OF DEMOCRATS RECKLESSLY ENDANGERING AMERICA’S NATIONAL SECURITY THIS CONGRESS AND VOTING AGAINST BIPARTISAN INITIATIVES THEY HELPED CRAFT

  • June – Section 702 of FISA: “Senate Democrats early Friday morning blocked a motion to begin debate on extending the nation’s enhanced surveillance authorities… Every Senate Democrat except for Sen. John Fetterman (Pa.) voted against the motion to proceed to the House measure, which would have served as the legislative vehicle for passing an extension of enhanced surveillance authorities under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) before they expire on June 12.” (The Hill: Senate Democrats block extension of spy powers to protest Trump’s choice of Pulte for DNI – 6/5/26)
    • Up until this past June, Congress had never let authority for Section 702 of FISA lapse. Before Senate Democrats voted down an extension, “Democrats had been working with Republicans on the measure and had been expected to deliver the votes necessary to move ahead with the extension…” (Politico: Spy law on track to lapse after House rejects extension – 6/11/26; The New York Times: Deal to Renew Surveillance Law Falters in the Senate Amid Revolt Over Pulte – 6/5/26)
  • February – 76-Day Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Shutdown: Democrats refused to give any funding to ICE and Border Patrol, forcing Republicans to pass the Secure America Act, funding ICE and Border Patrol for the remainder of President Trump’s term. (U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs: Chairman Paul Releases HSGAC Portion of Reconciliation Text – 5/4/26; U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Senate Judiciary Committee Releases Updated Text of the Secure America Act – 6/3/26)
    • Democrats walked away from a bipartisan FY26 DHS funding bill that included funding “for the purchase and operation of bodyworn cameras for ICE and CBP officers interacting with members of the public when conducting immigration enforcement operations,” as well as deescalation training. (U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations Democrats: BILL SUMMARY: Homeland Security Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations Bill – 1/20/26)
    • “The shutdown’s uncertainty has taken a toll on ICE and CBP staffers, particularly professional and civilian support staff who missed paychecks in the early weeks of funding lapse, said an administration official.” (Politico: ‘Six months to catch up’: What the shutdown cost DHS – 5/2/26)
    • “The U.S. Coast Guard cannot pay its bills. The military branch — now 76 days into the longest shutdown in U.S. history — owes over $300 million in unpaid obligations. And with thousands of utility bills overdue, totaling $5.2 million, duty stations and military housing worldwide are facing service shutdowns.” (CBS News: Coast Guard operating in “crisis” as DHS shutdown halts pay in May, cuts power, strains missions overseas – 4/30/26)
  • October 2025 – 43-Day Full Government Shutdown: Last fall’s shutdown, instigated by Democrats, degraded homeland security and aviation safety and harmed the lives of national security workers who keep the country safe: (The Wall Street Journal: Senators to Suspend Their Pay During Government Shutdowns – 5/14/26)
    • Between both of Democrats’ government shutdowns, over 2,200 officers at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) quit their jobs. (Politico: Over 1,000 TSA officers have quit amid shutdown – 4/27/26; Politico: Over 1,000 TSA officers have quit amid shutdown – 4/27/26)
    • During Democrats’ full government shutdown, Democrats said “even missed paychecks for US troops won’t be enough to end shutdown alone.” (CNN: Democrats say even missed paychecks for US troops won’t be enough to end shutdown alone – 10/9/25)
    • One “senior Democratic aide said as long as public perception is in their favor, the party will not concede short of ‘planes falling out of the sky.’” (CNN: Democrats say even missed paychecks for US troops won’t be enough to end shutdown alone – 10/9/25)
    • “Within the National Guard, mandated regular drill sessions and trainings were canceled, denying guard members that extra pay and creating a compound effect that ‘erodes the readiness of our nation’s war-fighting reserve,’ retired Maj. Gen. Francis McGinn, president of the National Guard Association of the U.S., told reporters at a Nov. 10 briefing.” (The Hill: How the government shutdown hurt military personnel – 11/16/25)
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