so i want to thank the armed services committee chairman jim inhofe for bringing the use it act one step closer to becoming law. mr. president, for the past four years congress has been able to pass the ndaa with strong top-line defense funding. the bipartisan budget act sets overtall defense funding -- overall defense funding levels for fiscal year 2021. longer-term funding is necessary, but it's uncertain. democrats have proposed stronger defense funding in the past -- they have opposed stronger defense funding in the past especially during the obama-biden administration. this history suggests that if democrats win the election, they will slow our nation's critical defense investments. the ndaa strengthens america's hand to stand up to foreign aggressors, to stand up against those people who are against american values. our ndaa will protect american