During Senate floor remarks, Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) ripped into the Biden-Harris Administration and the lack of movement on the National Defense Authorization Act.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Thank you, Madam President. I thank my colleague and the ranking member for his
00:04comments and his leadership on armed services.
00:08We meet at a time of increasing peril for our country. The threats we face,
00:13they're demanding attention in a way that we haven't seen in decades.
00:16From the Middle East to Europe, the Indo-Pacific, weakness and moral bankruptcy
00:21from the Biden-Harris administration have allowed chaos to spread around the globe.
00:27In the Middle East, Israel is in a fight for survival against
00:30genocidal Hamas terrorists and other terrorist proxies from Iran.
00:34These forces of evil are bent not only on the complete annihilation of the Jewish state,
00:39but on the destruction of the United States as well.
00:43In Ukraine, Russia continues its vicious war of aggression by
00:47continuing to commit war crimes against innocent civilians
00:50and threatening the very stability of Europe.
00:53In the Indo-Pacific, China is saber-rattling and taking provocative action towards Taiwan
00:58and the Philippines.
01:01The aim of the Chinese Communist Party, it's clear.
01:04They're determined to displace the United States as the dominant world superpower.
01:09Now, if this were to occur, the consequences would be staggering
01:12for America and, I say yes, the world's security and economic well-being.
01:17We know that the answer to all these crises is the one thing that's been missing for the last
01:23three and a half years, and that is American strength, particularly America's military
01:29superiority.
01:31This year's NDAA, or the National Defense Strategic Commission report, has made clear
01:36that the dire threats we face can only be confronted if America's military might is
01:41strengthened.
01:43Our enemies won't relent if America takes a step backwards.
01:47Our diplomatic efforts will never be successful if they're not backed up by the real threat
01:51of overwhelming military force.
01:54Simply put, in order to be a strong nation, our military must also be strong.
02:01I'm proud to say that my home state of North Carolina plays a leading role in our national
02:05defense.
02:07The Old North State is blessed to be home to eight active military bases.
02:12And it's got thousands of active-duty service members, veterans, and their families as well.
02:18As a member of the Armed Services Committee, I see it as my responsibility to do everything
02:22that I can to support our military and to keep it strong.
02:25I'm particularly proud of the work that the committee did this year on the National Defense
02:30Authorization Act to combat the growing threats posed by China, Russia, Iran, and the dangerous
02:36individuals coming across our own southern border.
02:42In this dangerous world, the U.S. Senate should prioritize the passage of the NDAA.
02:47We shouldn't procrastinate.
02:49We shouldn't play politics with it.
02:51We should put it on the floor, have a full amendment process, and let everyone debate
02:56the issues.
02:57It's pretty simple.
02:59But don't be fooled by the political calendar.
03:03The Democrat majority, they could make the time if they really wanted to do it.
03:07But instead, they're prioritizing politics.
03:10They're holding show votes on messaging bills designed to fundraise from their political
03:14base.
03:15Now, this does a massive disservice not only to the men and women serving overseas who
03:19depend on us, but it also sends yet another message of weakness and division to the world
03:24at a time when our enemies see the United States as weaker than we have ever been.
03:29So my message to the majority is this.
03:32If you care about keeping America a strong nation, if you care about American leadership
03:36in the world, if you care about U.S. troops stationed here and abroad, put the NDAA on
03:43the floor so that we can do our job.
03:48I yield the floor.