Rep. Betty McCollum Criticizes Trump Admin's Defense Bill Process

Opposition to FY2026 Defense Appropriations Bill

• ❌ Rep. Betty McCollum rises in opposition to HR 4016, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026, citing critical procedural issues.
• 📌 The bill totals $831.5 billion, but was written without a full fiscal year 2026 budget request from the administration, which is an unprecedented and problematic circumstance.

Lack of Detailed Information

• 📊 The Defense Appropriation Act is the committee's largest discretionary funding bill, covering complex national security issues, yet it was drafted with insufficient data.
• 📄 Normally, the subcommittee reviews detailed annual documents, like the nine-page congressional budget justification for the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, to track programs and funding over five years.
• 📉 This year, due to the Trump administration's failure to submit a full budget request, the committee received minimal information, exemplified by a single number for a program that previously had extensive documentation.

Concerns Over Specific Programs

• 💡 Golden Dome is highlighted as merely a concept, with no briefing on how the administration plans to spend $175 billion or deliver it in three years, making its impact on future defense bills unknown.
• ⚠️ The cost of deploying the National Guard for Homeland Security duties is also a concern, with an estimated $134 million for 4,000 troops in California, and a potential request for over 20,000 nationwide without a clear budget or justification.

Unacceptable Process and 'Poison Pill' Riders

• ⚖️ Writing the bill without a full budget request risks overspending on some platforms or creating gaps in defense capabilities, failing to maximize taxpayer value.
• 🚫 The bill includes partisan social riders, referred to as 'poison pills,' which could lead to another full-year continuing resolution, jeopardizing national security.
• 🏳️‍🌈 These riders limit reproductive healthcare access for service members and disenfranchise LGBTQ+ service members, negatively impacting recruitment and retention.

Call for Inclusivity and Future Collaboration

• 🎖️ McCollum criticizes a deliberate effort by the Trump administration to diminish the achievements of minorities and women in the military, which should be celebrated, not reversed.
• ✅ While unable to vote for the current bill, McCollum expresses willingness to work with Chairman Colbert in conference to produce a bill that can be supported by both sides.