Western South Dakota News

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) addressed the Senate Republican leadership press conference today, advocating for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to increase defense spending by more than $25 billion above the president’s budget request. Thune called on Majority Leader Schumer to expedite bringing the bill to the floor and allow a comprehensive amendment process.

Thune emphasized the importance of national security in his remarks: “The most important job we have as elected officials is the safety and security of the American people. And so I was very pleased to see Senator Wicker and members of the Senate Armed Services Committee last week, in a big bipartisan way, pass out legislation that increases the topline, the defense topline, by $25 billion.”

Highlighting current global threats, Thune stated, “I've always said if you don't get national security right, the rest is really conversation. And I think it's critically important, for all the reasons that the leader mentioned, we've got a land war in Europe, we have – Israel is at war with Hamas terrorists and Iranian proxy groups, China is increasingly aggressive. These all represent threats to the United States of America and to our people.”

Thune urged prompt action from Senator Schumer: “It is critical, in my view, that the Senate take up the National Defense Authorization Act, and I would hope that Senator Schumer would decide to do that. I'm hoping that's the case, but if past is prologue, he will push this and try and push it to the end of the year. I don't think that accords it the priority that it deserves.”

Stressing legislative urgency and process inclusivity, Thune added: “I think that this legislation needs to be on the floor of the United States Senate with a robust amendment process so individual senators have an opportunity to come and have their voices heard in this very important legislation.”

Thune concluded by underscoring national security's precedence over political maneuvering: “There are some things that are more important than politics. And national security happens to be one of them. We're doing a bunch of – a series of show votes. We're voting on all kinds of things that are not going anywhere. There's no objective or intention to make law or to have any of these things enacted. They're all political show votes because this is an election season."

“America's national security is not a political issue. It is the number one issue when it comes to defending the safety and security of the American people, and Congress should act like it.”