U.S. Representative Terri Sewell, AL-07, on Wednesday voted against House Republicans’ partisan Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, NDAA.
“For more than six decades, Republicans and Democrats came together to pass a bipartisan defense funding bill. We agreed that our national security is too important for political games,” said Rep. Sewell. “I am disappointed that Republicans have once again abandoned that tradition. Rather than focusing on strengthening our national security and supporting our troops, their bill includes a wish list of divisive, partisan provisions. Moreover, the bill does nothing to reign in President Trump’s use of the U.S. military against our own citizens or his purge of senior military leaders. I cannot vote for a bill that would rubber stamp this President’s dangerous efforts to politicize our Armed Forces, especially as America faces growing threats around the world.”
“I am hopeful that these partisan provisions will be stripped during Senate negotiations so that I can vote for a strong, bipartisan defense bill,” continued Sewell.
Passed annually by Congress since 1961, the NDAA authorizes funding levels for the Department of Defense and allows the Armed Forces to pay, train and equip U.S. service members, support America’s allies around the world, and carry out essential national security operations.
This week, rather than moving forward with the bipartisan version of the bill advanced by the House Armed Services Committee, House Speaker Mike Johnson “caved to the most extreme members of his party, allowing them to poison the NDAA by forcing through partisan amendments,” Rep. Sewell’s release shared.
