Senate Democrats Filibuster Critical Troop Funding for Ninth Time Since 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) today took to the Senate floor to rebuke Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Democrats for filibustering the defense appropriations bill, the ninth such filibuster since 2015. The legislation, which includes critical funding for America’s troops serving overseas, passed out of committee with unanimous bipartisan support.

“Since I've been in the Senate, there's been no bill filibustered more by Senate Democrats than the bill that would fund our military,” said Senator Sullivan. “My colleagues on the other side of the aisle have, time and again, leveraged funding of our troops to gain political concessions on other issues. The men and women who serve in the military don't deserve this. It's clear to me that supporting our troops and military readiness is not a priority for Senate Democrats, and I think that’s shameful. I hope Americans across the country get word of exactly what is happening, contact their Senators, and let them know that filibustering this critical troop funding is unacceptable.”

BACKGROUND:

The Fiscal Year 2020 defense appropriations bill provides:

• $694.9 billion in funding for the Department of Defense, including $1.7 billion in disaster recovery funds

• A 3.1% pay raise for America’s troops

• Funding for 96 F-35 fifth-generation fighter aircraft

• Funding for a hypersonic and ballistic tracking space sensor, vital to the future of America’s missile defense

• Funding for the U.S. Army’s 58 Brigade Combat Teams, 6 Security Force Assistance Brigades and 11 Combat Aviation Brigades

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