President Obama Vetoes Major Defense Spending Bill

Posted Saturday, October 24, 2015 12:00 am

Jackson Falconer

WASHINGTON – President Obama made a rare use of his veto pen on Friday to dismiss a bipartisan $612 billion defense policy bill, arguing that the legislation falls "woefully short" while criticizing congressional Republicans for raising Pentagon spending limits but not doing the same for domestic programs.

Congress had raised those military spending limits in the annual National Defense Authorization Act by skirting established budget caps that were passed into law four years ago. The sidestep was done by putting $33.3 billion into a military operations account that does not fall under the caps.

The White House believes the veto will encourage Congress to either revise the bill to give the president additional policy that he wants to see in it or raise spending limits on domestic programs, an issue that the administration and Republicans have been at odds with. During the veto ceremony, Obama also criticized the bill for protecting the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay from closure; closing Guantanamo was one of Obama's major campaign promises.

"We’re in the midst of budget discussions. Let’s have a budget that properly funds our national security as well as economic security. Let’s make sure that we’re able in a constructive way to reform our military spending to make it sustainable over the long term. Let's make sure that in a responsible way, we can draw down the populations in Guantanamo, make sure the American people are safe and make sure that we're not providing the kinds of recruitment tools to terrorists that are so dangerous," said Obama to reporters invited to the ceremony.

The move inevitably provoked angry reactions from several Republicans and even some hawkish Democrats who supported the bill.

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said on the Senate floor that vetoing a defense bill now was "the worst possible time for an American president to do so," adding that it was done for "arbitrary partisan reasons."

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Longboat Key) also criticized the veto, saying in a statement, "During these perilous times, the last thing we need is uncertainty surrounding the funding of our national security priorities. Our soldiers are not props for a press release – they deserve to be properly funded and supported by our country."

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) pledged that her party has enough votes to hold off a legislative challenge to the veto, which is scheduled for Nov. 5 in the House (if successful, the veto challenge will then be tested in the Senate).