Click here or on the image above to watch Senator Capito’s floor speech.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), vice chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, delivered remarks on the Senate floor calling for action on the National Defense Authorization Act amid rising threats to the United States and escalating global tensions. Also joining Senator Capito in the floor event were Republican members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services (SASC), including SASC Ranking Member Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).

Senator Capito’s floor remarks, as prepared for delivery, are included below:

“Mr/Madame President —

“I rise today to address something that is not getting the time it deserves on the Senate floor, and that is the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act.

“The National Defense Authorization Act, or the NDAA as we call it, is an annual display of support for the national security of our country here in Congress. In fact, we have passed the NDAA for sixty-three consecutive years.

“This bipartisan legislation support our troops, supports our national security, and strengthens the capabilities of the U.S. military. In a time when we face the most dangerous security environment since World War 2, the NDAA should be one of our top legislative priorities.

“But unfortunately, Leader Schumer doesn’t seem to agree, and with the support of my Democrat colleagues, Leader Schumer has spent much of the summer on messaging votes that were crafted with no true intention of making a law, nominations to federal entities, and the confirmation of radical judges that have no business serving on a federal bench.

“That is not what the American people have sent us here to do.

“The urgent need to pass the NDAA becomes obvious when you take into account what is currently happening in the world around us. First, our ally and friend Israel is under attack by Iran and its terrorist clients.

“Last week, we welcomed Prime Minister Netanyahu for a joint address to Congress, and he detailed the stark reality his country is facing. Just a few days ago, we learned the devastating news that twelve children and teenagers were killed by a Hezbollah strike while innocently playing on a soccer field.

“We know that Iran is the aggressor behind these attacks, and we know that they are doing all they can to grow their nuclear capabilities as well. Imagine the dangers of a nuclear-armed Iran and what that means for stability in the Middle East.

“The last 24 hours alone have shown the rapid pace at which the Middle East security environment is changing. Israel is showing it has the will and the capability to fight back against their aggressors, and I stand strongly in support with our ally in this fight.

“Second, there is a large-scale ground war in Europe for the first time since World War 2, and we know that Putin’s territorial ambitions and aggression extend far beyond Ukraine.

“Third, we are witnessing an unprecedented military buildup by China, accompanied by aggressions against Taiwan, the Philippines, Japan, and other partners in the region. This summer alone, Chinese aggression in the South China Sea threatened to spark a dangerous conflict with the Philippines, a country that has a mutual defense treaty with the United States.

“And just five days ago, two Chinese and two Russian nuclear-capable bombers were detected near the coast of Alaska, prompting U.S. fighter jets to intercept the aircraft. This is the first time we have seen this type of joint strategic bombing training between China and Russia in their ‘no limits’ partnership. 

“Throughout all of this, we are watching as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea reinforce one another in their aggression. They are supporting one another and sharing resources to achieve objectives directly opposed to the United States, our way of life, and our values. If that doesn’t raise alarm bells, I don’t know what will.

“On top of this, the National Defense Commission, charged with assessing our nation’s preparedness for future conflict gave us a pretty stark warning this week, which was: The U.S. is facing the most challenging threats we’ve seen since 1945, and we aren’t ready for it.

“According to this report, the Biden National Defense Strategy simply doesn’t prepare us to deter or prevail in a future conflict. According to one headline: The Pentagon has ‘insufficient forces inadequate to face China and Russia.’

“We cannot wait, we have to get serious about our national security.

“Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Wicker understands this. That’s why he released a proposal to help us repair our anemic military so we’re not at our lowest number of aircraft, ships, and munitions, when China is at their highest.

“It is clear that now is the time to invest in our military, our personnel, and our capabilities. We can do that, and send a clear message to both our allies and adversaries, by passing a strong and robust NDAA.

“American leadership on the world stage has long been defined as ‘peace through strength.’ But in order to have that, we must invest in our strength first.

“The NDAA authorizes programs the Department of Defense needs to replenish and grow our military stockpiles, and to invest in innovation and modernization programs we need for a future fight.

“The NDAA will make critical upgrades to our nuclear, hypersonic, missile defense, and space programs, and restore the ‘arsenal of democracy’ by ensuring our country’s ammo plants have the tools they need to modernize amid increasing demand for munitions. These are facilities like Allegany Ballistics Laboratory – which proudly operates in my state of West Virginia.

“It also invests directly into the men and women of our military by providing a 4.5% pay raise for service members, and increasing monthly pay for our junior enlisted troops, as well.

“I have also worked to secure provisions in the NDAA that support upgrades and operations at our Air National Guard facilities, like the 130th Airlift Wing in Charleston, West Virginia. That direct the U.S. Army to move forward on testing and fielding Active Protection Systems on Army ground combat vehicles, to implement lessons we learned from watching the failure of Russian tanks in Ukraine, and some of that testing is done in West Virginia.

“That support the resilience of undersea cables used by the Department of Defense, to make certain critical missions are not disrupted. And, provisions that move our country away from reliance on foreign sources for critical precursor chemicals used for the manufacture of U.S. weapons.

“These are just a handful of the provisions included in the NDAA, but they speak to the importance of this legislation, and the steps that we need to take now to make sure our military remains ready for any conflict we may face in the future.

“The crux of the issue is this: The House of Representatives passed their version of the NDAA on June 14th. The Senate Armed Services Committee approved their version of the NDAA the day before that. And, we’ve heard absolutely nothing from the Democratic Leader about when we will bring this vital legislation to the floor for debate and consideration. 

“While Democrats continue to waste the time of the American people on show votes and inconsequential nominees, Republicans continue to demand action. Republicans continue to point out the danger of sidelining national security priorities.

“There is a desperate need for American leadership on the world stage, and a strong, bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act helps us get there. I encourage my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to recognize that.

“With that, I yield the floor.”

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