WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, the President of the United States vetoed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) FY’16. The National Defense Authorization Act authorizes funding for the Department of Defense and establishes our national security priorities for the next fiscal year. Congressman Hice issued the following statement in regards to the President’s veto of the bill:
“It is the President’s constitutional right to veto legislation that Congress sends to his desk. However, it is unconscionable and unforgivable that the President exercised that right to veto legislation that is critical to the national security of the United States and the safety of American citizens. The primary job of the government, as is the primary function of a Commander in Chief, is to protect the lives of American citizens both at home and abroad.
Last week, the President announced that 5,500 troops would remain abroad in Afghanistan to continue the mission of thwarting the Taliban. This week, for the first time in fifty years, the President vetoed legislation that is vital to the success of that mission for reasons that have nothing to do with the contents of the NDAA. The bill he vetoed authorizes funding at the exact levels the President requested, and his veto proves that he is playing politics with our national security. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House as we move forward in favor of overriding the President’s partisan veto."
