Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On The Senate Moving Forward On The National Defense Authorization Act With Strong Bipartisan Support

Washington, D.C. - Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor on the Senate moving forward on the NDAA with bipartisan support. Below are Senator Schumer's remarks, which can also be viewed here:

The Senate will move forward on the annual defense authorization act, moving us closer to passing this bill for the 62^nd year in a row.

Both sides have done terrific work these past few months getting the NDAA over the finish line. The Senate passed our version of the NDAA with a strong 86-11 vote back in July. That's a good bipartisan vote, majorities of both parties supporting.

And over the past few weeks, conferees have done commendable work reconciling the Senate and House version, and I am pleased that the conference has reported a strong defense bill that contains many of the policies the Senate passed back in July.

We're making major strides to outcompete the Chinese government by approving President Biden's trilateral U.S., U.K., and Australia nuclear submarine agreement. This historic agreement will create a new fleet of nuclear-powered submarines to counter the Chinese Communist Party's influence in the Pacific. And AUKUS in general will be a critical part of ensuring stability in that region. We've worked all year long to get it passed through Congress and I applaud my colleagues on both sides for their efforts.

As I have said repeatedly, we began the month of December with three major goals here in the Senate before the end of the year.

First, we had to end the unprecedented, months-long, and destructive blockade of hundreds of military nominees. We have done that.

Second, we needed to pass the NDAA, as we have for decades on a bipartisan basis. We're on track to do that this week.

And finally, most difficult of all, we must reach an agreement with Republicans on the national security supplemental.

Democrats' attitude on the supplemental can be boiled down to two words: we're still trying. We want to get something done. We hope our Republican colleagues are serious - serious - about getting something done too.

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