Pascrell on Extremist Defense Bill: “The inmates are running the asylum”

Votes against traditionally bipartisan legislation now larded with extreme far-right prizes

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) today voted against the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) bill, after the traditionally nonpartisan package was packed with extremist items from far-right House Republicans.

“The inmates are running the asylum. After this week’s defense bill disaster, what else can you say?” said Congressman Pascrell. “The annual package to fund America’s defense should be straightforward and bipartisan. In fact, the bill was approved in committee almost unanimously. Instead, this bill was hijacked by extreme far-right Republicans as one more vehicle to bash diversity, ban books, steal women’s freedom, and yell about drag shows. Republicans even tried to defund our support for Ukraine and protect memorials to Confederate traitors for heaven’s sake. Kevin McCarthy allowed these zealots to take over so they don’t throw him out of on his ear. Another week wasted, Republicans continue to endanger American security. The bill now heads to the Senate where I pray cooler heads will prevail. Republicans’ cruel and infantile amendments to this bill should be dead on arrival.”

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