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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSanders Votes No on Defense Authorization Bill
Thursday, December 11, 2014
WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 The Senate today advanced a Department of Defense bill that would authorize $560 billion for the military. The vote was 85-14. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) voted no and issued the following statement:
I am voting no because I have very serious concerns about our nation's bloated military budget and the misplaced national priorities this bill reflects.
At a time when our national debt is more than $18 trillion and we spend nearly as much on defense as the rest of the world combined, the time is long overdue to end the waste and financial mismanagement that have plagued the Pentagon for years.
The situation is so absurd that the military is unable to even account for how it spends all of its money. The non-partisan watchdog agency, the Government Accountability Office, said serious financial management problems at the Department of Defense made its financial statements un-auditable.
I support a strong defense system for our country and a robust National Guard and Reserve that can meet our domestic and foreign challenges. At a time when the country is struggling with huge unmet needs, however, it is unacceptable that the Defense Department continues to waste massive amounts of money.
http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-votes-no-on-defense-authorization-bill
RiverLover
(7,830 posts)SidDithers
(44,228 posts)Sid
fredamae
(4,458 posts)Both Sens Merkley and Wyden Voted NO!
Thank you Both!
liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)We've got great progressives in the city of Seattle, but have a lot of corporate dems and conservatives at the capital.
I'm glad Bernie had the guts to say no.
NutmegYankee
(16,199 posts)Same with Connecticut.
liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)I actually like that she supports veterans. I just wish she would be willing to cut back on military spending. Spend some money educating and transitioning more military to civilian jobs. I would be okay with that. Then we wouldn't have to spend money on military just for the sake of keeping jobs.
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)A cloture vote on
Measure Title: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to ensure that emergency services volunteers are not taken into account as employees under the shared responsibility requirements contained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
How is that a defense authorization?
PoliticAverse
(26,366 posts)fredamae
(4,458 posts)You got me....
Here on this page HR 3979
"Thursday, Dec 11, 2014
9:30 a.m.: Convene and resume consideration of the motion to concur in the House message to accompany H.R.3979, the National Defense Authorization Act."
http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legislative/d_three_sections_with_teasers/calendars.htm
The NDAA and weirdly on this page it says HR 3979 is the UI Bill...
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=2&vote=00322
?????
abelenkpe
(9,933 posts)PowerToThePeople
(9,610 posts)NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)NAY:
Coburn (R-OK)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
Cruz (R-TX)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Lee (R-UT)
Merkley (D-OR)
Moran (R-KS)
Paul (R-KY)
Risch (R-ID)
Rubio (R-FL)
Sanders (I-VT)
Wyden (D-OR)