Senate Democrats Block Defense Bill, Pay Raise for U.S. Service Members

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WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senate Democrats blocked consideration of a clean continuing resolution to reopen the government 10 times and have pivoted to obstructing the passage of individual appropriations bills. Today, Senate Democrats voted against taking up the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Defense Appropriations Act. This key bill would have supported service members and their families, funded military readiness efforts, strengthened the defense industrial base, and more.

U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), chair of the Senate Armed Services (SASC) Airland Subcommittee, issued the following statement after voting in favor of advancing the bill:

"I wish I could say I'm surprised but unfortunately, this has become par for the course for Democrats. They are literally playing not just politics, but hardcore partisan politics with our national security. And of course, that means they're playing politics with the wellbeing of our troops and their families that sacrifice so much for our freedom and frankly, freedom around the world. Holding the federal government hostage just for these partisan games is awful, it's so reckless, there's no way to defend it. Yet somehow, they and their friends and the mainstream media rationalize it. I don't have much hope that they're going to come to their senses anytime soon, but we just have to keep trying, keep fighting, keep putting up the bills to fund our government and fund our priorities. Maybe one of these days they'll come around, maybe after their rowdy weekend with their left-wing nut jobs at the No Kings rallies across the country."