July 18th, 2025 by WCBC Radio

Congresswoman April McClain Delaney (D-MD) released a statement denouncing the House Majority’s FY26 Defense Appropriations bill: “Today, I voted against the Defense Appropriations bill because it fails to meet the basic standards of strategic planning, fiscal responsibility, and national security that the American people—and our service members—deserve. Congress was not given the necessary information to do its job. The Administration never submitted a full budget request for the Department of Defense, which is essential to bringing together military, civilian and Congressional stakeholders to craft a strategic, effective defense budget. This bill also simply repeats last year’s funding levels, ignoring the evolving needs of our armed forces and the current volatile global landscape.

Let’s call this what it is: bad faith. When the OMB Director says he won’t honor bipartisan spending agreements or even commit to following future ones, he’s not just ignoring Congress—he’s undermining it. The Constitution gives Congress the power of the purse, not political appointees. This kind of behavior weakens trust, weakens democracy and sets a dangerous precedent. 

Nowhere is that more clear than in this bill’s decision to eliminate support for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. That decision weakens our democratic allies and empowers Russia at a moment when global leadership is urgently needed.

Republicans also included language directing the Department of Defense to find $7.75 billion in unspecified cuts. If applied evenly, these cuts could mean: nearly $2 billion from troop pay, $2 billion from readiness, $409 million from health programs—including reproductive health, $5 million each from military support for Israel and Jordan, and over $2 billion from procurement and modernization efforts. This is not a smart or strategic approach—it’s a reckless one.

With respect to the Sixth District, I advocated for and secured targeted investments that support both our national defense and innovation in our district: for modular command post kits developed by Thales in Germantown, for heavy dump trucks built by Volvo/Mack in Hagerstown, and for live-saving trauma care developed by CellPhire in Frederick. But no amendment can fix a bill this fundamentally flawed. Our troops deserved better – real planning, real priorities, and real support— and that’s what I’ll keep fighting for.”