McCain: Obama Threat to Veto 2016 Defense Funding Bill 'Irresponsible'

Senator John McCain claims that Obama’s threat to veto the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act is wrong and rash.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — US President Barack Obama’s threat to veto the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is wrong and rash, Senator John McCain said in a press release.

“The White House threat to veto this legislation over OCO [Overseas Contingency Operations] spending and the desire for increases in non-defense spending is misguided and irresponsible,” McCain said on Friday.

The annual bill to finance the operations of the US armed forces through the next fiscal year is routinely passed with bipartisan agreement.

However, after the House Armed Services Committee passed the last bill on May 1, 2015, Obama’ Executive Office issued a statement on two weeks later saying the President might veto the legislation.

On May 21, 2015, the House of Representatives passed the NDAA.

The Obama administration argues the new NDAA fails to authorize sufficient funding for some priorities, and does not adopt enough force structure and weapons system reforms.

Democrats also charge that the NDAA does not guarantee adequate funding for domestic security agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and homeland security through 2016.

The NDAA provides $612 billion in defense spending.