Statement about the Defense Authorization Act of 2015

Washington, DC--Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-Calif) issued the following statement about  the "Defense Authorization Act of 2015:"
 
"The House's 'Defense Authorization Act of 2015' is not about protecting Americans; it is crafted to appease special interest lobbyists and conservative extremists that will not make us safer, but may actually put Americans in danger.
 
“It would make it all but impossible for President Obama to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay--a true scar on America's history of civil liberties and jurisprudence.
 
"And this legislation simply throws money away at outdated military weapons that President Obama and even military leaders no longer believe are necessary. The Republican proposed legislation would force the Department of Defense to continue to fund outdated equipment, costing taxpayers an unnecessary $4.2 billion.
 
"Instead of protecting Americans, this legislation is outright dangerous. It would not allow the Department of Defense to perform routine testing and maintenance on our ballistic missile silos, and it would require the Department of Defense to plan and design an East Coast missile defense field--an absolute waste of $20 million.
 
"America needs a smart defense policy that respects both human rights and taxpayer dollars. This moves us backwards to a Cold War mentality, and it should be stopped.”