Washington, D.C. — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, released the following statement after voting to not advance the National Defense Authorization Act:
“Today, I voted no on advancing the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Over the last several months, we have witnessed President Trump deploy U.S. troops into American cities, carry out reckless and unauthorized actions in the Caribbean, and embolden our adversaries around the world at our allies’ expense. We have witnessed his Defense Secretary leak classified battle plans and withhold information about the Administration’s strikes in the Caribbean. I have voted for 15 previous NDAAs under Democratic and Republican Presidents, but I could not in good conscience vote to support President Trump’s national security agenda under these circumstances.
“Last week, the President released a National Security Strategy dripping with disdain for our closest allies, allies whose cooperation and trust we need to better compete with China and deal with Russia, Iran, and North Korea. President Trump envisions a diminished America, one that is abandoning its political and moral leadership to the detriment of our security and prosperity in the years to come. The challenges and threats in the world are why the United States continues to need allies, stand for democracy and the rule of law, and lead international cooperation to tackle shared challenges. If we don’t solve those challenges out there in the world, they soon will find us here at home. America’s retreat from our alliances and from international cooperation will hasten the arrival of those threats to our shores.
“The NDAA contains important measures I fought hard to secure, including a pay raise and expanded parental leave for servicemembers, hundreds of millions for Colorado military bases, funding for Ukraine’s defense against Putin’s war, overdue oversight of Secretary Hegseth’s strikes in the Caribbean, and banning American investments in China’s military technologies. I am glad to see those provisions included, but I cannot, in good conscience, rubber-stamp President Trump and Secretary Hegseth’s lawless Department of Defense. Our country deserves better, and our Constitution demands it.”