Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2027

Floor Speech

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Mr. STEUBE. Mr. Chairman, this amendment is very simple. This amendment prohibits funds from being used to close the Port Charlotte VA Clinic.

I have heard from a number of different constituents and veterans in Charlotte County that oppose this clinic being shut down. This amendment would prohibit funds being used to shut down the Port Charlotte VA Clinic. This amendment would not delay construction on a new clinic in North Port.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment, even though I am not opposed to it.
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Mr. STEUBE. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment that puts the defense of our own troops, bases, and national security above all else, not to subsidize the defenses of NATO countries that lecture us on peace, hesitate to stand with us, and in some cases undermine our efforts to confront the terrorist regime in Iran.

My amendment redirects more than $480 million in funding from the NATO Security Investment Program. Essentially, it moves nearly half a billion dollars used for foreign military base infrastructure and redirects it towards improving the infrastructure needs of our own bases, for our own servicemembers, and for our own national security. This is the definition of America First.

The United States cannot continue carrying the defense burden for allied nations that fail to carry their own weight in the collective defense of each NATO member. Most importantly, we cannot continue to treat the generosity of the American taxpayer as automatic, while our allies treat their obligations as optional. Operation Epic Fury has exposed why this amendment is necessary.

When President Trump moved to confront the Iranian terror regime, some NATO countries chose to tarnish the meaning of alliance and tried to subvert our ability to target Iran. Namely, it is France and Spain that continue to deny our military from using their airspace and many key defense facilities, forcing American forces to work around the very allied infrastructure that American taxpayers have helped sustain through NATO funding.

Many of these bases exist within the broader NATO architect supported by programs like the NATO Security Investment Program, which this bill gives nearly half a billion dollars to. Yet, when the United States called for support, our so-called allies chose silence over solidarity.

Alliances are not entitlement programs, nor are they blank checks. They are solemn commitments built on mutual defense, sacrifice, and responsibility. If any foreign nation thinks they are deserving of the United States military and the backing of our taxpayers, best they not demand the comfort of our alliance and reject the courage it requires.

The American people deserve the assurance that every single investment made actually serves our national interests. Every dollar in this bill should be measured against one standard: Does it support our national security, our readiness, and our warfighters and their families? If the answer is no, then we have the responsibility to redirect such funds and put America first.

Mr. Chair, that is why this amendment matters. Our first and only obligation should be to support or warfighters. We owe it to the American people that their tax dollars are spent in a manner strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembers and their families, and advancing our national security.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to stop subsidizing our part-time allies and vote for my amendment.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

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Mr. STEUBE. Mr. Chair, on U.S. membership in NATO, President Donald J. Trump in April of 2026 stated: ``Oh, yes, I would say [it is] beyond reconsideration. I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and President Putin knows that, too, by the way.''

``They haven't been friends when we needed them. We have never asked them for much . . . it is a one-way street.''

On NATO assisting in the reopening of the Strait Hormuz, a White House official in April 2026 stated: ``As President Trump said yesterday, NATO was tested, and they failed.''

``[President Trump] has zero expectations for NATO at this point and did not ask them for anything, even though it's a fact that they benefit from the Strait of Hormuz far more than the United States.''

President Trump posted on Truth Social on March 31, 2026: ``The country of France wouldn't let planes headed to Israel, loaded up with military supplies, fly over French territory. France has been VERY UNHELPFUL with respect to the ``Butcher of Iran,'' who has been successfully eliminated! The U.S.A. will REMEMBER!!! President DJT.''

President Trump on Truth Social on the United Kingdom on March 31, 2026, stated: ``All of those countries that can't get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refuse to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you: number one, buy from the U.S., we have plenty, number two, build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait and just TAKE IT. You'll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won't be there to help you anymore, just like you weren't there for us. Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is gone. Go get your own oil! President DJT.''

This just a couple of days ago from Secretary Rubio commenting on NATO basing rights: ``One of the reasons I supported NATO is because it gave us basing rights in Europe. So when NATO partners like Spain deny us use of these bases, the primary reason for why NATO is good for America, then what is the purpose of the alliance?''

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter), chair of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

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Mr. STEUBE. Mr. Chairman, the President's comments on this issue have been clear. We are $39 trillion in debt, and we should be focused on America first, and we should be supporting our warfighters and our bases, not NATO in this budget.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chairman, I think the point of Judge Carter and my argument is that this funding does support our warfighters in Europe.

President Trump asked for, in spite of all the things that he has said about NATO, he asked in his budget for $604 million, and this budget is $122 million less than that, and the gentleman from Florida's amendment would wipe it out.

So I strongly urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment because it would eliminate funding for infrastructure investments on which our troops and our allies rely. This is not for foreign troops. This is for our troops. It is not fiscally responsible to eliminate funding for this jointly funded program, which provides critical infrastructure.

Mr. Chair, if we don't support the NATO Security Investment Program, then either we have to pay more to fund the cost of our infrastructure and Europe will be leaving us on our own, or we allow these needs to go unmet to the detriment of our men and women in uniform and American military readiness.

We need to make this decision about this amendment not based on rhetoric but on reality, and the reality is that this funding ensures that we can keep our troops ready and safe.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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