2019: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted For The FY 2020 National Defense
Authorization Act (NDAA), Which Authorized Funding For Weapons
Systems. In December 2019, Fitzpatrick effectively voted for the FY
2020 NDAA. According to Congressional Quarterly, "The agreement
authorizes approximately $11 billion for ballistic-missile defense,
including Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) and Patriot
interceptors and other anti-missile systems. It authorizes funding for
missile defense installations in Poland, Romania and Hawaii, as well as
funds for cooperative missile defense programs with Israel. It
authorizes $12.2 billion for procurement and development of 90 new F-35
planes, including additional funds to purchase F-35s previously
scheduled for delivery to Turkey. It authorizes $986 million for eight
new F-15 aircraft, and $23.6 billion for Navy shipbuilding, including
over $10 billion for new submarines. It also authorizes $3 billion for
a new long range bomber and authorizes large increases in funding for
high-speed "hypersonic" weapons." The vote was on adoption of the
conference report to accompany the bill. The House adopted the
conference report by a vote of 377-48. The bill was later passed by the
Senate and signed into law by the President. [House Vote 672,
12/11/19; Congressional
Quarterly,
12/17/19;
Congressional Actions,
S.1790]
2020: Fitzpatrick Voted For Banning Trump From Conducting Nuclear
Weapons Tests. In July 2020, Fitzpatrick voted for an amendment to the
FY 2021 NDAA that would, according to Congressional Quarterly, "prohibit
the use of funds authorized for fiscal 2021 or any previous year to
conduct or make preparations for any explosive nuclear weapons test that
produces any yield." The vote was on adoption. The House adopted the
amendment by a vote of 215-190. [House Vote 142,
7/20/20; Congressional
Quarterly, 7/20/20;
Congressional Actions,
H.Amdt.834;
Congressional Actions,
H.R.6395]
The Amendment Prevented Trump From Conducting The First Nuclear
Tests In The U.S. In Decades. According to The Hill, "The House
approved Monday a measure aimed at preventing President Trump from
conducting the United States' first explosive nuclear test in
decades." [The Hill,
7/20/20]
The Amendment Was In Conflict With The Senate NDAA, Which Included
$10 Million For Nuclear Testing. According to The Hill,
"Inclusion of the prohibition in the House version of the NDAA sets
up a conflict with the Senate's version of the bill that will need
to be reconciled before it is sent to the president's desk. The
Senate's version of the NDAA includes an amendment from Sen. Tom
Cotton (R-Ark.) that would make at least $10 million available to
'carry out projects related to reducing the time required to execute
a nuclear test if necessary.'" [The Hill,
7/20/20]
Opponents Worried That U.S. Nuclear Testing Would Trigger A Chain
Reaction In Other Countries And Also Have Detrimental Health And
Environmental Effects. According to The Hill, "Opponents of
resuming nuclear testing, including Democrats and arms control
advocates, argue a U.S. test would trigger nuclear testing by other
countries and open the door to an arms race. An explosive would also
be detrimental to human health and the environment without providing
any benefits to studying the U.S. nuclear arsenal, they argue."
[The Hill,
7/20/20]