Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Ahead Of Cloture Vote On The Substitute Amendment To The National Defense Authorization Act

Washington, D.C. –  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor regarding today’s vote on cloture on the substitute amendment to the annual National Defense Authorization Act. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

We begin an important week for what will be an important final month of 2021.

Later today, the Senate will vote on cloture on the substitute amendment to the NDAA.

NDAA has been passed by this chamber for over 60 years, and there is no good reason why this year should be any different.

Before Thanksgiving, the Senate worked in as bipartisan way as it could to lay the groundwork for advancing the Defense bill. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Reed and Ranking Member Inhofe reached an agreement, a bipartisan agreement, on a package of 18 amendment votes. Let me repeat that: 18 amendments for the Senate to hold roll call votes on.

Nearly half of those amendments were led by a Republican. That would be more amendments to NDAA receiving roll call votes than in the last four years combined.

We also agreed to the substitute amendment which includes at least 50 amendments, 27 of which are led by a Republican. Senator Inhofe, the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, agreed to this.

In any other time, this would be considered a very fair and generous compromise. Even though every member didn’t get every amendment they wanted, the leadership on both sides would have made sure that cloture was granted.

Unfortunately, Republicans could not accept this agreement before Thanksgiving, but we hope that Republican dysfunction will not be a roadblock to passing this bill and taking care of our troops and their families. 

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