WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Eugene Vindman (Va.-07), member of the House Armed Services Committee, today released the following statement after voting ‘NO’ on the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2026.
“As a Member of Congress, I have no greater responsibility than ensuring the safety of our nation. Eliminating 45,000 public servants from the Department of Defense and defunding counterterrorism efforts makes us less safe. I’ll continue to fight extreme partisan efforts, like this bill, that put politics and partisanship over common sense policies,” said Vindman.
The Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2026 (H.R. 4016) would:
- Continue the Trump Administration’s reckless cuts to civilian defense jobs by slashing 45,000 positions, a move that hurts national defense and Virginia’s economy.
- Eliminate over $170 million supporting partner countries engaged in counterterrorism operations against ISIS. When we leave evil forces like ISIS unchecked, we are shirking our responsibilities to keep our nation safe.
- Abandon our own national security interests by excluding $300 million in security assistance for Ukraine — a gift to Putin at a time when we should be standing with our allies. And it includes divisive policy riders that would restrict access to reproductive health care for military families.
This bill undermines our national security, hurts our military’s readiness, and shortchanges those who serve our country.
BACKGROUND
Congressman Vindman is a U.S. Army veteran. He served as an infantry officer and paratrooper including assignments in the 82D Airborne Division and as a company commander leading troops. Soon after, he transitioned to the U.S. Army Judge Advocate Generals (JAG) Corps. As a JAG, Vindman served as an international law advisor in Iraq; as the senior prosecutor in the busiest jurisdiction in the Army; and as a White House National Security Council (NSC) deputy legal advisor. In Congress, he sits on the House Armed Services Committee.
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