Press Release

December 10, 2020
Cardin Statement on the Passage of the 2021 NDAA

WASHINGTON – Today U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) released the following statement lauding the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

“I am pleased that the U.S. Congress has come together in a bipartisan way to overwhelmingly support the men and women of America’s military and to lay out a plan for our national defense. It is our duty to keep our nation safe from harm and, in doing so, provide the tools our military needs to carry out its mission of defending our nation against all enemies. This year’s NDAA supports $740 billion in defense spending, which includes the critical work being done at nine Maryland defense facilities. 

“I am pleased that the NDAA included an evaluation of the need for more research in the field of energetics work done at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Indian Head, Md. Additionally, I am pleased that the NDAA is moving to review the safety and security of the personnel located at the Joint Spectrum Center in Annapolis. 

“I continue to be alarmed that there are many domestic challenges which have continued to go unaddressed. The Pentagon’s budget now equals more than one-half of all discretionary spending, and it has increased by over $100 billion since President Trump took office. Meanwhile, more Americans have been killed by the coronavirus than throughout the entire U.S. military involvement in World War II. We can support our people at home and keep our military strong around the world. But it requires us to be smarter and more deliberate about how we allocate resources for defense and domestic needs.”

 

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