'Republicans Are Abandoning Our Allies': Rosa DeLauro Rips GOP Over Ukraine Funding Cuts

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During a speech on the House floor on Wednesday, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) spoke about her concerns for the Department of Defense fiscal year 2026 appropriations bill.

Transcript

00:00The Appropriations for Committee, Ms. Rosa DeLora.

00:04Thank you, Ranking Member, for yielding, and I also want to say a thank you to all of the

00:08Defense Appropriations Subcommittee on both sides of the aisle, and in particular, I want

00:13to shout out Jennifer Chartrand, Jason Gray, and Ed Edskorn.

00:18Through this bill, we have the solemn responsibility of appropriating the funds necessary to defend

00:23our nation and to protect the safety and well-being of our men and women in uniform.

00:27But I must oppose this bill, which abandons our allies, damages our military readiness,

00:33and promotes divisive policies that undermine morale.

00:37I come from a defense-dependent state.

00:39I understand the importance of the investments we make in our nation's defense.

00:43We must always work to ensure our service members have the best possible equipment to defend

00:48our nation.

00:49I am proud that the American-made Blackhawk helicopters, the best helicopters in the world,

00:53are made by Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, Connecticut, in my district.

00:58I am also proud that Pratt & Whitney produces the F-135 engine, the power plant for the F-35

01:05joint strike fighter in my district.

01:07The highly skilled workers at this plant are critical for our defense industrial base,

01:12and the rising cost of living is making it harder for them to make ends meet.

01:15These workers bring immense value to Pratt & Whitney, to Connecticut, and to our national

01:20security, and they recently fought for their value to be recognized.

01:25I proudly joined them on the picket line, and while I am pleased that Pratt & Whitney and

01:29the union representing the facility's workers have agreed on a contract, Congress must do

01:34more to address the cost of living.

01:36The cost of living crisis is felt by every American family, and it has a direct effect

01:41on our military readiness and capabilities.

01:43Instead of addressing the cost of living, President Trump and the Republicans are only making it

01:49worse.

01:50Safety net programs and other basic services have been attacked by the administration and

01:54defunded in the Republicans' big, ugly bill.

01:58I said this to Secretary Hexeth in our hearing last month.

02:02America's future service members are learning in our public schools.

02:06They might rely on Medicaid to see a doctor.

02:09They may only have a meal to eat because of WIC or food stamps, or they may live in subsidized

02:16housing.

02:17If tomorrow's service members are worried today about having their most basic needs met,

02:21then they are being held back from their fullest potential, and that weakens our national security.

02:26In the bill before us, rather than working with House Democrats to strengthen our national

02:31security and prioritize the issues that matter most to our men and women in uniform, House

02:37Republicans are abandoning our allies, undermining democracy at home and abroad, and failing

02:42to support our service members.

02:44Despite broad support in Congress for helping Ukraine defend itself against Russia's brutal

02:49invasion, they empower Putin by failing to include $300 million for the Ukraine Security

02:55Assistance Initiative.

02:57The majority's bills hold the door open for disinformation created by America's enemies

03:01rather than allowing the Department of Defense to counter the threat, allowing extremism and

03:07propaganda to proliferate across the internet and media landscape.

03:11The bill continues House Republicans' attacks on the right of women to seek an abortion and

03:16the rights of minorities to be protected from discrimination, while destroying the

03:21Department's efforts to build a more inclusive, effective, and modern military.

03:25And the bill weakens the Department by continuing the administration's reckless and indiscriminate

03:30cuts to vital civilian personnel and yielding to Doge and Elon Musk.

03:36In further conceding Congress's prerogative over funding the Department of Defense to

03:41Doge, the majority directs the Department to find nearly $8 billion in undetermined cuts

03:47and everything from military health care to troops' pay and operations accounts potentially

03:52facing reductions to the detriment of our readiness and to service members and military

03:58families' quality of life.

04:00Instead of focusing on how to keep the American people safe and improve the quality of life for

04:04members of our armed forces, House Republicans' bill undermines readiness and abandons our allies.

04:10I cannot support this bill and I urge my colleagues to vote no.

04:14I thank you and I yield back.

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