Ranking Member DeLauro Statement at the Subcommittee Markup of the 2025 Defense Funding Bill

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks at the subcommittee markup of the 2025 Defense funding bill:

– As Prepared for Delivery –

Thank you Chairman Calvert and Ranking Member McCollum for your work on this subcommittee. I would also like to thank the majority and minority staff, particularly Jennifer Chartrand and Jason Gray.

This subcommittee has the unique and solemn responsibility of appropriating the funds necessary to defend and protect our nation.

I come from a defense state – I understand the importance of the investments we make in this subcommittee. But this bill does not advance our national defense capabilities.

There is a path laid out for us to responsibly strengthen America's national security and support our armed servicemembers.

But instead, under the majority's partisan process, we are considering a bill that promotes chaos in Congress over prioritizing our national security, and which sows division instead of supporting our servicemembers' morale and unity. This bill undermines democracy, here and around the world, and it disarms our military in the face of the climate crisis.

Especially in an election year, we should not consider legislation that would neutralize the Department of Defense's ability to counter disinformation campaigns, when we know foreign actors and our adversaries are seeking to meddle in our elections and democratic processes.

And why, after this Congress has repeatedly demonstrated broad bipartisan support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian tyranny, are we considering a bill that fails to fund the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, rewarding Russia? In addition to fighting Russian aggression, USAI helps Ukraine integrate with NATO and Western forces, directly supporting our broader national security and defense objectives.

And recklessly, this bill ignores our military leaders. Even under President Trump, our military acknowledged and warned about the dangers climate change poses to our national security, our military assets, and our servicemembers around the world. Secretary Mattis said in testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee, quote,

"Climate change is impacting stability in areas of the world where our troops are operating today." We ought to be ensuring our military's resilience in the face of a changing climate and worsening disasters, not denying the scientific and strategic reality of the threats we face.

Finally, this bill contains a laundry list of partisan proposals that divide Americans, including provisions that hurt women and LGBTQI+ servicemembers and obstruct diversity efforts. It furthers Republicans' goal of making abortion illegal nationally by making it harder for women in our military to obtain reproductive care. No woman deserves to have her health care and family planning decisions made by politicians, but especially those who have put their lives on the line to protect Americans' rights and freedoms.

Every servicemember who wears our flag is a critical piece of our national defense. American servicemembers come from all over the country, and the world – the sum of their skills, their determination, their experiences and their perspectives is the greatest asset our military has.

Fostering an environment where every American who would willingly put their lives on the line to protect and serve this nation feels they are welcomed and supported should not be controversial.

These policy riders do not belong in appropriations bills, and like last year, we will defeat them. But it is disappointing that we are going through this charade again, just months after Republicans and Democrats voted for the 2024 appropriations bills.

Looking across all 12 appropriations bills, the majority is failing to meet the agreement signed into law. Democrats will accept nothing less than a one percent increase over 2024 in defense and nondefense funding. That is what the law provides for.

I cannot support this bill. I urge my colleagues to focus on the end goal of funding our government and preserving America's military strength rather than pushing messaging bills that have no future. Please, join us at the table to protect our national security and military readiness. It is time to govern.

Thank you, and I yield back.

###