Mêlée for NDAA

Both the White House and chief Democrat of the the House Armed Services Committee, Adam Smith (D-WA) have both expressed a lack of support for the FY16 NDAA measure, which is expected to be considered today on the House Floor. The White House issued an Statement of Administrative Policy in which it issued a veto threat. In part the administration objects to the accounting devices used by the Armed Services committee, as advocated in the House and Senate budgets, to avoid the Sequester budget caps.

The Administration strongly objects to the bill’s authorization of sequester level appropriations for items that were requested in and belong in the base budget, and use of OCO [Over Seas Contingency Fund]– a funding mechanism intended to pay for wars and not subject to the budget caps – to pay for $38 billion in base requirements. Sequestration adds risk to our national security by threatening the size, readiness, presence, and capability of our military, and threatens the economic security on which our national security depends. The Committee clearly recognizes that the President’s Budget level for defense is needed, but authorizes it in a way that fails to acknowledge the need to reverse sequestration for both defense and non-defense spending.

Similarly, Congressman Smith has issued a statement against the measure, which he helped write and voted for in committee. Specifically, Smith said he objected to use of the supplemental OCO war fund to shield the Pentagon from strict spending caps while leaving other federal agencies subject to the caps.

House Democratic leaders are whipping Members to vote against HR 1735, the NDAA. In addition, the White House is threatening to veto the measure in large part because of the use of OCO funds to allow the Pentagon to evade the spending caps put in place under the Budget Control Act of 2011.

The move is seen as one to pressure Republican House and Senate leadership into repealing the Sequester in its entirety.

Nearly 350 Amendments were offered to the NDAA, and the House Rules Committee will meet today at 3 pm to determine which amendments will be considered on the House Floor.

To follow the bill on the House Floor and the progress of the various amendments, the House Armed Services Committee has created this handy tracker.