Senator Murray on Vote Opposing the National Defense Authorization Act

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on her vote against taking up the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 (NDAA).

"Instead of doing anything to help make life more affordable for American families, President Trump launched a reckless and costly war against Iran without authorization from Congress or the support of the American people. Today, this war is nowhere near ending, and the President has apparently endorsed this being a forever war in the Middle East.

"I will always do everything in my power to take care of our servicemembers and keep our country safe, but this bill authorizes President Trump's absurd $1.5 trillion defense budget request while doing nothing to put an end to his disastrous war or prevent him from starting more costly conflicts abroad. I refuse to endorse President Trump's obscene war budget, and I refuse to move this bill forward as Trump pushes our country deeper into a war the American people oppose. This Republican Congress may prioritize an endless war over affordable health care for American families, but I will not.

"Congress must support a budget that also invests in American families and making life more affordable for them, we must rein in this out-of-control President, and we must put an immediate end to this war."

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