"Our Commander-in-Chief is using service members as leverage in his campaign for higher domestic spending."

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE) issued the following statement ahead of President Obama’s scheduled veto of the National Defense Authorization Act, bipartisan legislation to fund the federal government’s first duty—national defense. 

"The President’s veto further cements Washington’s all-or-nothing fiscal brinksmanship. Our Commander-in-Chief is using service members as leverage in his campaign for higher domestic spending. As ISIS controls large parts of Iraq, Russia fights a proxy war in Syria, and China exploits American cyber vulnerabilities, Washington acts like a circus, not a super power." 

Background: 

Today, President Obama will veto the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 despite the fact that the bill provides the funding that the Administration previously requested. 

In February, President Obama requested $612 billion in total defense authorizations. 

On October 7, the Senate passed legislation giving that exact amount of $612 billion, with a strong bipartisan majority of 70-27 (with 49 Republicans, 20 Democrats, and one Independent voting yes).