Defense Drumbeat

On October 20, Representative Mac Thornberry (R-TX), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and Senator John McCain (R-Az.), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, will join Brookings Senior Fellow Michael O'Hanlon for a discussion on the National Defense Authorization Act and the possible presidential veto. Bruce Jones, Vice President and Director of the Foreign Policy Program at Brookings, will provide the introductory remarks. Following the discussion, Senator McCain and Representative Thornberry will take audience questions. The event is open to press. Registration information can be found below.

The National Defense Authorization Act passed the House and the Senate with large, bipartisan majorities in early October. The President has vowed to veto this bill that pays the troops, provides them and their families with benefits, and contains landmark reforms to both military retirement and Pentagon acquisition policy. While the legislation gives the President every defense dollar he asked for, he is threatening to take the unprecedented step of vetoing the bill for political leverage to extract additional spending for other domestic programs.

WHEN: Tuesday, October 20 – 8:00a to 9:00a
WHERE: Brookings Institution,
1775 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Falk Auditorium
Washington, DC
REGISTER HERE