Jayapal Statement on Vote Against Increasing the Pentagon Budget

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) released the following statement after voting 'NO' on the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which would provide $1.15 trillion to the military - an increase of $260 billion from FY2026, as Congressional Republicans are also separately planning to pass a partisan reconciliation bill to spend an additional $73 billion on the war in Iran.

"A budget is first and foremost a declaration of our priorities. Trump and Republicans' priority is pursuing a deadly, destructive, and illegal war in Iran and paying out their defense contractor donors. That could not be clearer from this year's NDAA - which I voted HELL NO on.

"The American people are being crushed under the weight of inflation, as Trump's unconstitutional war raises gas prices. And a small fraction of the money Republicans have put in this bill could restore the Medicaid cuts that pushed millions off their healthcare, pay for universal pre-k, any number of things that would actually ease the cost of living crisis that Americans are facing.

"Time and again we are seeing from this administration, and their Republican yes-men in Congress, that they simply do not care that working people are struggling. I refuse to support that agenda and will continue working to stop this funding and actually invest in our people and our communities."

Issues: Foreign Affairs & National Security