U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander Thursday released the following statement on his vote in favor of beginning debate on the fiscal year 2016 Defense Appropriations Bill:
“Today I voted for bipartisan legislation that supports our troops and national defense at a time of heightened terrorist threats from ISIS and other groups around the world. These are serious times, and I’m disappointed the Democratic minority decided to block the Senate from even considering this bill. Unlike last Congress when the Democratic majority blocked Republicans from offering amendments, our new Republican majority is committed to giving senators the opportunity to offer amendments and improve this legislation to help keep the American people safe.”
The legislation provides $576 billion in funding for the U.S. Department of Defense and military programs, including pay raises for troops, military equipment and weapons to maintain readiness, and critical medical research, Senator Alexander said.
Senator Alexander also voted for the legislation in the Senate Appropriations Committee last week, where it passed by a bipartisan vote of 27-3.
Senator Alexander noted that Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) the Republican majority leader, has pledged to allow senators to offer amendments on the Senate floor. The U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of the fiscal year 2016 Defense Appropriations Bill on June 11 by a vote of 278-149.
Senator Alexander also voted in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016.
“I voted for the National Defense Authorization Act because it will help ensure that our service men and women in uniform receive the support and resources they need,” Senator Alexander said. “I am glad this bill supports our military service members who sacrifice so much to protect and defend the United States.”
The National Defense Authorization Act passed the Senate. The Senate legislation authorizes funding for the Department of Defense and Department of Energy on a range of fronts:
The bill authorizes $12.6 million for the construction of a Special Operations company headquarters and classrooms at Fort Campbell.
The bill also authorizes a 1.3-percent pay increase for members of the military, including troops at Fort Campbell and the Naval Support Activity Mid-South in Millington.
The bill authorizes the U.S. military to train and equip Syrian opposition forces to combat ISIS and to support Jordan and Lebanon as they confront the ISIS threat.
The bill expresses the sense of the Senate that the drawdown of U.S. forces in Afghanistan should be based on security conditions within Afghanistan as well as U.S. interests in that region of the world.
The bill continues to prohibit the transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees to the U.S. and prevents the construction or renovation of any facility in the U.S. for Guantanamo detainees until the secretary of defense submits a detailed plan for each detainee housed at Guantanamo, and Congress approves that plan. The bill also prohibits the transfer of detainees to any country where other detainees have already been transferred and then returned to the fight.
The bill authorizes $19 billion for Department of Energy national security programs which support work in Oak Ridge.