(The Center Square) – House Republicans’ voter ID bill has once again derailed progress of critical legislation in Congress, this time stalling a $1.1 trillion Pentagon funding bill.
The must-pass National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2027, which authorizes annual funding levels for national security and defense projects, is normally undertaken in a spirit of bipartisanship.
kAmqFE ;FDE =:<6 E96 2EE6>AE E@ C62FE9@C:K6 E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E’D :?E6C?2E:@?2= DFCG6:==2?46 A@H6CD G:2 ux$p $64E:@? f_a[ 2 G@42= 92?57F= @7 #6AF3=:42? =2H>2<6CD 2=:8?65 H:E9 !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A’D A@=:4J H:D96D 92G6 8C@F?5 E96 }spp’D AC@8C6DD E@ 2 92=E]k^Am
kAmp G@E6 @? 2 CF=6 E@ 25G2?46 E96 kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E9646?E6CDBF2C6]4@>^?2E:@?2=^2CE:4=60efa74426\degf\c3hd\2efg\2e3235e463ba]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qmw@FD6’D G6CD:@? @7 E96 }sppk^2mk^DEC@?8m 72:=65 %F6D52J H96? `c #6AF3=:42?D G@E65 282:?DE :E 2=@?8D:56 6G6CJ s6>@4C2E]k^Am
kAmtG6CJ =2H>2<6C H9@ @AA@D65 E96 3:== 5:5 D@ 3642FD6 @7 2 4@?46DD:@? E92E w@FD6 $A62<6C |:<6 y@9?D@?[ #\{2][ >256 E@ #6AF3=:42? 92C5=:?6CD — >6C8:?8 AC@G:D:@?D :? E96 %CF>A\6?5@CD65 $p't p>6C:42 p4E H:E9 E96 }spp]k^Am
kAms6>@4C2ED @AA@D65 E96 255:E:@?[ H9:=6 E96 `c #6AF3=:42?D 4=2:>65 :E H2D :?DF77:4:6?E[ >62?:?8 y@9?D@?’D F?DF446DD7F= >@G6 E@ 2AA62D6 #6AF3=:42? 9@=5@FED 4@DE 9:> E96 DFAA@CE @7 2== s6>@4C2ED 2D H6==]k^Am
kAmy@9?D@? H2D 724:?8 E96 E9C62E @7 2 7=@@C D9FE5@H? 3J #6A] p??2 !2F=:?2 {F?2[ #\u=2][ 2?5 2 92?57F= @7 @E96C #6AF3=:42?D] %96J 925 A=65865 =2DE H66< E@ 3=@4< 2== 7FCE96C w@FD6 7=@@C 24E:@? F?=6DD y@9?D@? 2EE24965 E96 $p't p>6C:42 p4E E@ E96 }spp 2D 2? 2>6?5>6?E]k^Am
kAm%96 $p't p>6C:42 p4E[ H9:49 H@F=5 DEC6?8E96? G@E6C :56?E:7:42E:@? C6BF:C6>6?ED ?2E:@?H:56[ 72=E6C65 2?5 67764E:G6=J 5:65 :? E96 $6?2E6 >@?E9D 28@ 27E6C :E 3642>6 4=62C E92E 6G6CJ s6>@4C2E:4 D6?2E@C H@F=5 @AA@D6 :E]k^Am
kAm$:?46 E96?[ %CF>A 2?5 #6AF3=:42? 92C5=:?6CD =:<6 {F?2 92G6 EC:65 E@ 86E E96 3:== A2DD65 3J 2?J >62?D A@DD:3=6[ kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E9646?E6CDBF2C6]4@>^?2E:@?2=^2CE:4=60haehddb`\cffa\c5g7\he6d\6bd444b7agga]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm56C2:=:?8 ux$p $64E:@? f_a C62FE9@C:K2E:@?k^2mk^DEC@?8m 2?5 kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E9646?E6CDBF2C6]4@>^?2E:@?2=^2CE:4=60d_63da64\cd`7\c7`e\36gf\g576`53_2cf`]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm56=2J:?8 3:A2CE:D2? 9@FD:?8 =68:D=2E:@?k^2mk^DEC@?8m 7C@> E2<:?8 67764E]k^Am
kAm%@ A=242E6 E96 8C@FA[ w@FD6 $A62<6C |:<6 y@9?D@?[ #\{2][ 2?5 E96 4@>>:EE66 AC@A@D65 2 CF=6 E@ >6C86 E96 }spp H:E9 D6A2C2E6 =68:D=2E:@? >2?52E:?8 G@E6C xs[ D6?5:?8 :E 2D @?6 A24<286 E@ E96 $6?2E6]k^Am
kAmw@FCD 367@C6 E96 G@E6[ 9@H6G6C[ 92C5=:?6CD 2??@F?465 E92E E96 CF=6 H2D?’E 6?@F89[ H:E9 {F?2 5F33:?8 :E “2 AC@465FC2= 9625 72<6]”k^Am
kAm“%9:D 5@6D ?@E 5@ 2?JE9:?8 3FE 8F2C2?E66 E96 $6?2E6 H:== tp$x{* %pzt ~&% $p't p>6C:42 7C@> E96 }spp[” D96 HC@E6 @? )] “x7 H6 5@ :E 2D 2? 2>6?5>6?E[ E96 H2J E92E x AC@A@D65 :E[ E96 $6?2E6 H@F=5 ?665 e_ G@E6D E@ A2DD E96 =68:D=2E:@? H:E9@FE $p't p>6C:42 2EE24965] |62?:?8 :E H@F=5 36 92C56C 7@C E96> E@ %pzt :E @FE]”k^Am
kAmq642FD6 E96 w@FD6 2?5 kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]2C>65\D6CG:46D]D6?2E6]8@G^:>@^>65:2^5@4^7Ja_af0?52206IDF>]A57Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm$6?2E6k^2mk^DEC@?8m >FDE F=E:>2E6=J >6=5 E96:C C6DA64E:G6 G6CD:@?D @7 E96 }spp :?E@ 2 7:?2= AC@5F4E E92E H:== A2DD 3@E9 492>36CD]k^Am
kAm{F?2 2?5 @E96C #6AF3=:42?D 2C6 4@?46C?65 E92E E96 G@E6C xs AC@G:D:@?D H:== D:>A=J 36 DEC:AA65 5FC:?8 E96 ?68@E:2E:@?D AC@46DD[ 8:G6? E92E #6AF3=:42? =6256CD 42?’E 277@C5 E@ 36E @? 2E =62DE D6G6? $6?2E6 s6>@4C2ED DFAA@CE:?8 2? }spp H:E9 DF49 2 4@?E6?E:@FD A@=:4J C:56C]k^Am
kAm%96 $p't p>6C:42 p4E H@F=5 C6BF:C6 A6@A=6 E@ D9@H AC@@7 @7 &]$] 4:E:K6?D9:A H96? C68:DE6C:?8 E@ G@E6 :? 7656C2= 6=64E:@?D[ C6BF:C6 G@E6CD E@ D9@H A9@E@ xs H96? 42DE:?8 2 32==@E :? 2 7656C2= 6=64E:@?[ 2?5 >2?52E6 DE2E6D E@ C6>@G6 ?@?4:E:K6?D 7C@> G@E6C C@==D]k^Am
kAms6>@4C2ED 92G6 42==65 E96 =68:D=2E:@? 2? 24E @7 G@E6C DFAAC6DD:@?[ 2C8F:?8 E92E :?DE2?46D @7 :==682= G@E:?8 2C6 C2C6 2?5 E92E DEC@?86C AC@@7 @7 4:E:K6?D9:A C6BF:C6>6?ED 42? 5:D6?7C2?49:D6 CFC2= 2?5 =@H\:?4@>6 p>6C:42?D]k^Am
kAm#6AF3=:42?D 56?J E96 244FD2E:@?D[ 42==:?8 =68:D=2E:@? =:<6 E96 $p't p>6C:42 p4E 2 “4@>>@? D6?D6” DE6A E@H2C5D :?4C62D:?8 6=64E:@? D64FC:EJ]k^Am
kAm%96:C AFD9 7@C DEC:4E6C G6C:7:42E:@? >62DFC6D :D 2 C6DA@?D6 E@ >F=E:A=6 DE2E6D 7:?5:?8 E92E ?@?4:E:K6?D 925 42DE G@E6D :? E96 a_ac 7656C2= 6=64E:@?] %9@F89 6=64E:@? @77:4:2=D 2C6 DFAA@D65 E@ G6C:7J G@E6CD’ 4:E:K6?D9:A DE2EFD @? E96 324<6?5[ :==682= G@E6D 2C6 D@>6E:>6D 2=C625J 4@F?E65 367@C6 :?6=:8:3=6 G@E6CD 2C6 :56?E:7:65[ H9:49 kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E9646?E6CDBF2C6]4@>^>:49:82?^2CE:4=60d6af6`c4\55g3\c627\g`fd\fc`ed__fc_`_]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm92AA6?65 :? |:49:82? 2E =62DE `d E:>6D :? a_ack^2mk^DEC@?8m]k^Am
kAmv:G6? E96 4CF4:2= ?2EFC6 @7 E96 }spp[ #6AF3=:42? w@FD6 =6256CD9:A H:== =:<6=J <66A ECJ:?8 E@ A2DD E96 CF=6 @G6C E96 ?6IE 4@FA=6 @7 52JD]k^Am
kAmq6D:56D E96 FDF2= :?G6DE>6?ED :? >F?:E:@?D C6DE@4<:?8[ D9:A3F:=5:?8[ >:=:E2CJ 4@?DECF4E:@?[ ?F4=62C :?7C2DECF4EFC6[ 2?5 E649?@=@8J :??@G2E:@? C6D62C49[ E96 }spp 6?92?46D 4J36CD64FC:EJ 4@@C5:?2E:@? H:E9 xDC26=]k^Am
kAmxE 2=D@ 2FE9@C:K6D 2? 24C@DD\E96\3@2C5 D6CG:46>6>36C A2J C2:D6 @7 b]eT 2?5 7F?5:?8 7@C DFAA=J 492:? D64FC:EJ 2?5 4C:E:42= >:?6C2= >:?:?8 H@C<7@C46 :?:E:2E:G6D[ kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2C>65D6CG:46D]9@FD6]8@G^FA=@25657:=6D^7Jaf0?5220724ED966E0\0C63F:=5:?80E9602CD6?2=0@707C665@>]A57Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm2>@?8 @E96C >62DFC6Dk^2mk^DEC@?8m]k^Am
kAmp55:E:@?2==J[ #6AF3=:42?D D64FC65 2 >62DFC6 E@ @77:4:2==J 492?86 E96 s6A2CE>6?E @7 s676?D6’D ?2>6 E@ E96 s6A2CE>6?E @7 (2C[ H9:49 E96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@? 92D AFD965 7@C]k^Am
kAmu656C2= 3F586E H2E495@8 @C82?:K2E:@?D =:<6 E96 r@>>:EE66 7@C 2 #6DA@?D:3=6 u656C2= qF586E 92G6 FC865 =2H>2<6CD E@ C6:? :? >:=:E2CJ DA6?5:?8[ A2CE:4F=2C=J D:?46 E96 !6?E28@? :D E96 @?=J 7656C2= 286?4J E@ ?6G6C A2DD 2? 2F5:E]k^Am
kAm%96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@? 92D 2D<65 r@?8C6DD E@ 2AAC@G6 2 E@E2= @7 S`]d EC:==:@? :? 5676?D6 7F?5:?8 7@C 7:D42= J62C a_af – S`]`c EC:==:@? G:2 E96 2??F2= 2AAC@AC:2E:@?D AC@46DD[ H9:49 E96 }spp C67=64ED[ 2?5 E96 C6>2:?:?8 Sbd_ 3:==:@? G:2 3F586E C64@?4:=:2E:@?]k^Am
kAm%96 !6?E28@? 2=D@ C646?E=J 2D<65 r@?8C6DD 7@C kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E9646?E6CDBF2C6]4@>^?2E:@?2=^2CE:4=60fd4a`ce3\___c\cf63\3gbd\67a`da4`76a2]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm?62C=J Sgg 3:==:@? :? DFAA=6>6?E2= 7F?5:?8k^2mk^DEC@?8m E@ 4@G6C E96 4@DED @7 E96 &]$]\xC2? 4@?7=:4E]k^Am

