WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman John Garamendi (CA-08), the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, issued the following statement after voting NO on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2027: 

“There is no world in which I can justify spending $1.15 trillion on defense so that President Trump can continue to recklessly start wars around the globe. Yet President Trump and Republicans are prepared to spend your tax dollars on the military while cutting your health care and driving up energy and gas costs. 

“To make matters even worse, Republicans hijacked this process by adding provisions that would restrict access to the ballot for millions of Americans. 

“Despite my opposition, the bill does includes many provisions I fought to secure, including investments in barracks and dormitories, provisions of my SHIPS Act, a pay raise for servicemembers, protections for civilian workers, and preserving labor and delivery services at David Grant Medical Center on Travis Air Force Base for military families. I have always fought and will continue to fight to make this bill as good as it can be. 

“But the irresponsible price tag and lack of any meaningful administration oversight made my decision clear. This Administration is waging an illegal war of choice in Iran, deploying the military to our city streets, bombing boats in the Caribbean, diverting military resources to Trump’s vanity project, and dramatically increasing spending on nuclear weapons.

“No President should put our servicemembers in harm’s way without first coming to Congress. Congress should not support blank checks, politicized defense policy, or remain silent when it has a constitutional duty to provide oversight. For these reasons, and many more, I cannot in good conscience support this bill.” 

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