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News Wednesday, Jan 6 2016

Sorry, Marco — You're The One Not Funding Troops

Jan 06, 2016

Fresh off his complaining that senators and congressman are useless in the face of a president’s ability to set the agenda, Marco Rubio is now complaining in his latest ad that President Obama is funding Planned Parenthood instead of our troops.

One problem: It’s Marco Rubio who isn’t funding the troops. He missed at least three votes in 2015 where funding for our military was on the table.

Background:

2015: Rubio Missed Vote On Providing $132.4 Billion In FY 2016 Funding For Military Personnel, As Part Of The December 2015 Tax Extender And Omnibus Appropriations Deal.  In December 2015, Rubio missed a vote on the December 2015 tax extender and omnibus appropriations deal which included $132.4 billion in funding for military personnel. According to Congressional Quarterly, the agreement “appropriates $132.4 billion for military personnel, including costs of pay, allowances, bonuses, survivor benefits and permanent change-of-station moves. The total includes $3.2 billion in the Overseas Contingency Operations section of the bill. It provides funds for a slight decrease in overall troop levels; provides a 1.3% pay raise for all personnel, including civilians; and denies most of the administration’s request to increase certain Tricare co-payments, except for a small increase in prescription drug copays. The total supports 1,308,915 active-duty troops (3,715 more than the president’s request but 1,765 less than the current level) and 811,000 reserves (equal to the administration’s request and 9,800 less than the FY 2015 level).” The underling bill was the FY 2016 Omnibus Appropriations and Tax Extender deal. The vote was on a motion to concur in the House amendments to the Senate amendment to H.R. 2029. The Senate agreed to the motion by a vote of 65 to 33. The bill had already passed the House. The president later signed the legislation. [Senate Vote 339, 12/18/15; Congressional Quarterly,12/17/15; Congressional Quarterly, 12/18/15; Congressional Actions, H.R. 2029]

2015: Rubio Missed Vote On The FY 2016 Defense Authorization Act. In October 2015, Rubio missed a vote on the FY 2016 NDAA which “would authorize $604.2 billion in discretionary funding for defense programs in fiscal 2016.” According to Congressional Quarterly, the conference report would have “authorize[d] $604.2 billion in discretionary funding for defense programs in fiscal 2016, including $496.4 billion for base Defense Department programs and $18.6 billion for national security programs at the Energy Department. The total authorization also would [have] include[d] $89.2 billion for the Overseas Contingency Operations account, of which $38.3 billion would be for base Pentagon activities outside of the sequester spending cap. It would [have] authorize[d] a total of $225.2 billion for operations and maintenance, approximately $8.1 billion for military construction and family housing, and $139 billion for military personnel. The measure also would [have] effectively allow[ed] for an across-the-board 1.3 percent pay increase for military personnel. It also would [have] authorize[d] $715 million to train and arm the Iraqi army against the Islamic State. It would [have] overhaul[ed] the military retirement system to blend the current all-or-nothing annuity benefit with a matching Thrift Savings Plan and would [have] implement[ed] stricter standards relating to the transfer of Guantanamo detainees internationally.” The vote was on passage. The Senate passed the legislation by a vote of 70 to 27. The House had already passed the conference report and the Senate later passed the legislation but the president vetoed. [Senate Vote 277, 10/7/15; Congressional Quarterly, 10/7/15; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1735]

2015: Rubio Effectively Missed Vote On The FY 2016 Defense Authorization Act. In October 2015, Rubio effectively missed a voted authorizing $604.2 billion in discretionary funding for defense programs in fiscal 2016. According to Congressional Quarterly, the conference report would have “authorize[d] $604.2 billion in discretionary funding for defense programs in fiscal 2016. The total authorization would include $515 billion for the base defense budget, which would include $18.6 billion for national security programs at the Energy Department. The total authorization also would include $89.2 billion for the Overseas Contingency Operations account, of which $38.3 billion would be for base Pentagon activities outside of the sequester spending cap.” The vote was on a motion to invoke cloture. The Senate accepted the motion by a vote of 73 to 26. The House had already passed the conference report and the Senate later passed the legislation but the president vetoed. [Senate Vote 275, 10/6/15; Congressional Quarterly, 10/6/15; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1735]


Published: Jan 6, 2016

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