Cole Statement on President’s Veto of NDAA

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04), a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, released the following statement after President Barack Obama vetoed the bipartisan Conference Report for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) sent to his desk by both chambers of Congress. The legislation vetoed today was intended to authorize critical funding for our nation’s military personnel, readiness and operations, and it reflected the president’s total budget request for defense spending.

“President Obama should be absolutely ashamed of his decision to veto NDAA and use our military as a bargaining tool to increase domestic spending,” said Cole. “The president’s veto is unfair to our service members who risk their lives on a daily basis to protect the entire United States, our military families who stand beside those heroes and our military retirees and veterans who unquestionably deserve the benefits they earned. Due to his dislike of the process by which Congress fulfilled his budget request and due to language that prevents immediate closure of Guantanamo Bay and limits transfer of terror suspects out of the prison, the president has opted to put his personal agenda ahead of the best interest of our military. Considering that the language related to Guantanamo is the same as the president has signed into law every year of his presidency, including versions submitted when Democrats controlled Congress, it is baffling that he’s choosing to oppose it now. In a world with building turmoil and mounting threats to our national security, I am disappointed that the president has placed his domestic agenda ahead of the best interests of the American military and security interests of the United States.”

In his weekly column, Cole recently expanded on the importance of NDAA in providing for a strong defense. Read the column here.

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Contact:Sarah Corley (202) 225-6165