Defense
While Congressman Garrett believes it’s important that we maintain a strong defense, we need to add accountability to how the Pentagon spends taxpayer dollars. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released an independent audit in March of 2011 which found that the cost of the Pentagon’s largest programs have risen by $135 billion, or 9 percent, to $1.68 trillion since 2008. According to the GAO, over half the overruns, $70 billion, appeared “to be indicative of production problems and inefficiencies or flawed initial cost estimates.” Since 2005, we have not had a complete audit of the Pentagon, and since then the over runs have only multiplied.
Power to Declare War
Congressman Garrett believes that any time the men and women of our military are sent into combat, the President must receive authorization from Congress. In March 2011, President Obama began an air campaign against Libya in support of rebel forces without any authorization from Congress. Congressman Garrett was a vocal critic of this abuse of power by the Executive Branch, and urged Republican leadership to require the President to receive authorization or restrict funding for the military action.
Listen Congressman Garrett discuss the issue with Judge Andrew Napolitano on FOX's Freedom Watch
Listen to Congressman Garrett offer an amendment ensuring the Defense Authorization does not authorize use of force in Libya
More on Defense
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05) issued the following statement after voting for H.R. 5931, the Prohibiting Future Ransom Payments to Iran Act, to make sure the United States never pays ransom to Iran ever again. Garrett is a co-sponsor of this legislation:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05) issued the following statement after the House passed H.R. 5859, the Community Counterterrorism Preparedness Act, a bill that Garrett co-sponsored and supported:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05) issued the following statement after the Institute for Science and International Security released a report today that the Obama Administration gave the Iranian regime secret loopholes to keep Iran compliant with last year’s nuclear deal. The report states that Iran did not limit their nuclear stocks and facilities by Implementation Day in direct violation of the parameters set by the P5+1 nuclear deal.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05), Chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government-Sponsored Enterprises, today voted for three pieces of legislation before the Financial Services Committee to stop the sale of U.S. aircrafts to Iran from entities like Boeing.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05) released the following statement in response to reports that Boeing has reached a multibillion-dollar deal to sell commercial passenger planes to Iran. Boeing is one of the largest beneficiaries of the Export-Import (Ex-Im) bank which perpetuates corporate welfare to mega corporations by handing out taxpayer-backed loans.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05) issued the following statement after voting for H.R. 3662, the Iran Terror Finance Transparency Act:
“There is a list of over 50 individuals and entities with known ties to terrorism, histories of human rights abuses, and involvement in weapons proliferation that are eligible for sanctions relief under President Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran. These are dangerous actors that should not be rewarded with money they could use to put the United States and its allies in danger.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05) issued the following statement after President Obama delivered his final State of the Union address:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05) issued the following statement before President Obama’s final State of the Union address this evening:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05), issued the following statement after Iran violated U.N. security council resolutions by testing ballistic missiles:
Recent attacks in Paris, Mali and Beirut are horrific reminders that terrorist organizations are increasingly aggressive in their campaigns to spread death and chaos. From 2013 to 2014, deaths related to terrorism around the world have increased by 80 percent. As we mourn these senseless losses of life, we must adapt to new security threats.