Amo Secures Win for Small Businesses, Condemns GOP Bill for Enabling Trump’s War in Iran and Failing to Bring Down Costs

WASHINGTON, DC - TODAY, House Foreign Affairs Vice Ranking Member Gabe Amo (D-RI) sharply criticized the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 (NDAA) due to the inclusion of an unprecedented $1.15 trillion in discretionary defense spending, partisan riders, and continuation of expensive overseas wars that balloon costs for hardworking Rhode Islanders.

"Trump's ill-fated, unnecessary war in Iran has driven Rhode Islanders' costs through the roof," said Congressman Gabe Amo (D-RI). "And this NDAA does nothing to fix it. I introduced amendments to make sure Americans know exactly how much Trump's Iran war has cost them and to stop him from buying our NATO allies, but Republicans shot them down. Once again, proving they'd rather fund forever wars than lower prices. And while I am proud the House adopted my practical proposal to help small Rhode Island companies get AUKUS contracts, this NDAA lacked the commonsense measures to achieve America's long-term defense goals. I voted no, but will keep fighting for an NDAA that embraces fiscal responsibility, ends Trump's illegal wars and global chaos, and makes America prosperous and secure for all Americans."

Background

Congressman Amo sponsored an amendment to the NDAA that would authorize APEX Accelerators, including one in Providence, Rhode Island, to assist small businesses in acquiring procurement contracts for defense articles in AUKUS. The amendment passed the House of Representatives by voice vote as part of a bipartisan en bloc of amendments.

Congressman Amo also sponsored six amendments to the NDAA that the Republicans rejected.

Amendment #265 would have required a report from the State Department and other agencies on the disruption of democracy and support for authoritarian leaders in the CENTCOM and AFRICOM area of responsibility by certain foreign governments.

Amendment #267 would amend Section 308703 of Title 54, United States Code, to authorize the appropriation of $10,000,000 for the National Maritime Heritage Grant Program for FY27 and FY28.

Amendment #268 would have required a study by the Government Accountability Office on how Trump's war in Iran and tariffs have impacted the price of food and fertilizer.

Amendment #766 would have required an assessment of MK-48 heavyweight torpedo production readiness and surge capacity.

Amendment #917 would have prohibited actions or expenditure of funds to purchase a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member country or NATO-protected territory.

Amendment #920 would have limited assistance to Azerbaijan until the Secretary of Defense certifies that Azerbaijan has withdrawn military forces from Armenian territory, released Armenian prisoners of war, recognized the right of Armenians to return to Nagorno-Karabakh, and committed to the protection of Armenian cultural heritage sites.

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