{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=FCC893AF-D422-498F-A01F-3B75BE4BEC20", "Senate Democrats Should Not Shortchange National Security", "2021-11-29", "2021", "2021-11", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the National Defense Authorization Act:\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s Democratic Party does not make the policy decisions of a party that is serious about protecting America.\n\n\u201cIn May, President Biden released a budget proposal that proposed a de facto cut in defense funding. And that was before the President\u2019s own supercharged inflation further cut the purchasing power of every defense dollar.\n\n\u201cIn August, his botched Afghanistan retreat shattered our allies\u2019 trust and delighted terrorists.\n\n\u201cIn 10 months in office, despite na\u00efve happy talk from the Administration, the threats we face are markedly worse.\n\n\u201cThe vacuum they left in Afghanistan has emboldened terrorists, from Iran\u2019s militias in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen to the highest ranks of the Taliban\u2019s government.\n\n\u201cTheir desperation to return to a failed nuclear deal has given Iran the upper hand in negotiations.\n\n\u201cFor four years, my colleague the Democratic Leader seemed constantly focused on Putin and Russia.\n\n\u201cBut now? With Putin flaunting his power and Russia engaged in ongoing cyber-attacks, weapons tests, and troop build-ups? Crickets.\n\n\u201cAnd for all their talk about China\u2019s threat, we\u2019ve seen no evidence that Democrats intend for the United States to keep pace with the PLA\u2019s investments in nuclear and hypersonic weapons.\n\n\u201cThe bipartisan National Defense Strategy Commission has made clear we cannot shortchange our own military modernization and have a prayer of competing with the People\u2019s Republic of China or even the declining but dangerous Russian Republic.\n\n\u201cOur colleagues across the aisle have missed one opportunity after another to right the ship. They\u2019ve used the reconciliation process to pass trillions in new partisan spending without a cent for defending the nation.\n\n\u201cAnd despite the strong bipartisan work of our colleagues on the Armed Services Committee, the Democratic Leader kept this year\u2019s defense authorization bill in limbo for months, and now wants to block the Senate from a real debate and a real amendment process.\n\n\u201cMadam President -- debating the right way to confront Russian threats to America and our allies and equip our friends in Ukraine is worth the Senate\u2019s time.\n\n\u201cPutin is massing tens of thousands of troops on Ukraine\u2019s border, but the Democratic Leader is trying to block a debate about responding to Russian aggression? It makes no sense.\n\n\u201cConsidering sanctions on the pipeline that fuels Putin\u2019s encroachment over Europe \u2013 including provisions from Senator Risch that closely mirror language the House added unanimously \u2013 is worth the Senate\u2019s time.\n\n\u201cSetting the record straight on our resolve to maintain a strong and credible nuclear deterrent that can check the worst impulses of our adversaries is worth the Senate\u2019s time.\n\n\u201cYet once again, the Democratic Leader seems to want to put national security last. My colleague is trying to overcorrect for poor planning by cramming a two-week bill into two or three days\u2019 time. I imagine there might be finger-pointing at Republicans if that proves impossible.\n\n\u201cMadam President, nothing less than the safety of the American people is at stake. This is more important than political timetables for partisan wish-lists.\n\n\u201cSo if the Democratic Leader insists on forcing a cloture vote later today, I will oppose cutting off these important debates prematurely, when they have really just begun.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:30:49Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=FCC893AF-D422-498F-A01F-3B75BE4BEC20"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.1186601370573044, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}