Senate Passes NDAA with Romney Amendment to Reaffirm Constitutional Right of President to Protect and Defend United States

WASHINGTON—The Senate today passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020 with a key amendment offered by U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) to reaffirm the constitutional authority of the president to protect and defend the United States. Ahead of the vote today, Romney spoke on the Senate floor regarding his amendment, which was approved by an overwhelming 90-4 vote.
 
“This bipartisan package will authorize critical policy aimed strengthening our military, supporting our troops, and enhancing our national security to meet the challenges we face both now and in the future,” Romney said. “I was pleased to see my amendment included in the NDAA that passed the Senate today. Tying the president’s hands in the midst of the current crisis is misguided and dangerous, and it sends the wrong message to both Iran and our allies. That’s why I offered an amendment to affirm the constitutional authorities that any president must have to properly protect and defend our nation.”
   
The FY2020 NDAA provides $750 billion in defense funding to continue to rebuild our military readiness, give our forces the resources they need to meet threats posed by countries like Russia and China, and support our allies and partners around the world. Additionally, the bill authorizes the largest pay raise for our troops in a decade and $18 billion in funding for military construction projects. A full summary of the legislation can be found here.