Members of the House Freedom Caucus don’t want to see the National Defense Authorization Act brought to the floor for a vote this week, pouring cold water on House leadership’s hopes that the bill can be out of the chamber by Friday.
As members of the hard-line conservative caucus left a meeting off-site of the Capitol Tuesday evening, they expressed support for continuing to work on the bill instead of bringing it up this week as soon as it is advanced out of the House Rules Committee.
WALL OF WASTE: BIDEN CANCELS TRUMP BARRIER BUT QUIETLY FILLS IN HALF THE GAPS
“What's the rush?” House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry (R-PA) asked reporters. “When you think about it, the NDAA doesn't have to pass this week. Why are we rushing through this? … I want it to be right when it passes. These are passed timely, but we have until November or whatever. We don't have to do it now. So it needs to be correct.”
Perry said he would like to see the bill made “right and righteous … instead of fast,” adding, “If it were right, right now, there wouldn't be 1,400-plus amendments.”
This sentiment was echoed by Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX), who said, “I think if we have more time, we probably have a better bill.”
Other members of the Freedom Caucus offered the same take as well, with Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), who sits on the House Rules Committee, telling Punchbowl News he does not believe the NDAA will come up for a floor vote this week.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
While he wouldn’t delve into specifics, Perry said he and a lot of his members have about “half a dozen issues that are major issues” in the NDAA that need to be addressed before the bill could successfully pass off the floor.
The House Rules Committee reconvened at 11 p.m. on Tuesday to continue consideration of the NDAA.