Amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)
Amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)
Heritage Action will be key voting the following three amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA):
Key Vote Alert: "YES" on the Rehberg Amendment
On Friday, the House will vote on the Rehberg Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 4310). The amendment would ban any reductions to the strategic nuclear triad unless Russia proves that it is complying with the New START Treaty.
Specifically, the amendment would ban the reductions unless the President certifies to Congress that: 1) the Russia Federation must make a commensurate reduction, conversion, or decommissioning pursuant to the levels set forth under such treaty; and 2) Russia is not developing or deploying nuclear delivery systems not covered by New START limits. The amendment also protects all three legs of the nuclear triad from elimination.
During the 2010 lame duck session, the Senate ratified the New START Treaty, which significantly reduced America's ability to develop and use our missile defense capabilities. This amounts to unilateral disarmament, putting ourselves at a disadvantage in an increasingly dangerous world when the U.S. and our allies are threatened by unfriendly nations developing their own nuclear capability—like Iran and North Korea. The treaty also did nothing to reduce the disparity between Russia's tactical nuclear weapon advantage and ours.
An overlooked aspect of New START was its limitation on the development and deployment of America's conventional weapons, which further diminishes our ability to defend ourselves and our allies.
The Rehberg Amendment at least ensures America does not act unilaterally on a treaty that already favors Russia, which will do anything it can to put America a disadvantage.
Heritage Action supports the Rehberg Amendment and will include it as a key vote on our scorecard.
Related:
Heritage Action's Scorecard
New START's "quid pro quo" Stops
New START: Undermining America's Missile Defense
Key Vote Alert: "YES" on the Granger Amendment
On Friday, the House will vote on the Granger Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 4310). The amendment would instruct the President to carry out the sale of no fewer than sixty-six F-16C/D multirole fighter aircrafts to Taiwan, as required by law.
America made a commitment to Taiwan, which is a steadfast ally, and America must honor that commitment. The U.S. should enable Taiwan to defend itself from threats to its sovereignty and ensure they are properly prepared to assist the U.S. in military conflicts should the need arise.
Heritage Action supports the Granger Amendment and will include it as a key vote on our scorecard.
Related:
Key Vote Alert: "Yes" on the Duncan Amendment
On Friday, the House will vote on the Duncan Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (H.R. 4310). The amendment would ensure that no funds from the NDAA go towards paying for the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
UNCLOS, more commonly referred to as the Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST), is a fundamentally flawed treaty that threatens U.S. sovereignty, and our national security and economic interests. It creates a new, unaccountable international board based in Jamaica, known as the International Seabed Authority (ISA). The ISA would subject U.S. companies to mandatory dispute settlements facilitated by an arbitrator selected by potentially hostile nations, and set a precedent for becoming a part of the International Criminal Court.
LOST also threatens U.S. military priorities by subjecting the U.S. Navy to the same international dispute resolution for its military activities. Worse yet, revenue from royalties made by offshore drilling companies would be used to fund the ISA, which could then redistribute that revenue to state sponsors of terrorism and undemocratic regimes with human rights abuses, so long as that nation is a member of the U.N.
The Duncan Amendment would protect the U.S., its Navy and job creators by halting dollars generated in America from being used to fund any institution or organization established under LOST.
Heritage Action supports the Duncan Amendment and will include it as a key vote on our scorecard.
Related:
Heritage Action's Scorecard
Heritage Action Statement on Law of the Sea Treaty
U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea: It's Still a Bad Idea
Law of the Sea Treaty Offers Few Benefits, Harms U.S. Interests
*** Last year, Heritage Action key voted three amendments on the NDAA: 1) YES on the Flake Amendment to close an infamously duplicative drug enforcement agency, the National Drug Intelligence Center; 2) NO on the Amash Amendment to strike the authorization for use of military force against Al-Qaida, the Taliban and others; and, 3) NO on the Sanchez Amendment to cut funding for ground-based midcourse missile defense systems by $100 million. Because Heritage Action's scorecard covers both the first and second session of the 112th Congress, we are not reissuing key votes for similar amendments on this year's NDAA. However, Heritage Action will be watching votes on similar amendments. ***
Amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)