WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today called out Senate Democrats for blocking a $515.9 billion spending bill for America’s military. The legislation also includes $58.6 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations funding. These spending levels adhere to last year’s bipartisan, bicameral budget agreement, as well as this year’s Senate-passed “National Defense Authorization Act.”

“In May, Senate Democrats on the Appropriations Committee joined every Republican in unanimously approving this bipartisan spending bill,” Wicker said. “This is not an abstract piece of legislation to be used for political games. The men and women of our armed services rely on this funding to do their jobs, keep our nation safe, and provide for their families. It is troubling that Democrats have had a change of heart and are now standing in the way of allowing the Senate to do its job on behalf of our military.”