NTU urges all Representatives to vote "YES" on Amendment #92, to H.R. 8774, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2025.
The amendment numbers are based on the Rules Committee numbering system.
Amendment #92, offered by Rep. Jayapal (D-WA), Rep. Davidson (R-OH), Rep. Garamendi (D-CA), and Rep. McClintock (R-CA), would prohibit funds from being used to carry out unfunded priorities lists (UPLs). As NTU has written in the past, unfunded priorities lists contribute to excessive and unnecessary military spending. UPLs were once an informal practice wherein service heads would submit to Congress a wish list of programs. However, they have become an annual requirement that contributes to a bloated budget. By removing incentives to prioritize their funding requests due to a statutory mandate, UPLs add further hazard for both appropriators and military leaders by creating a spending echo chamber that serves special interests rather than taxpayer interests. As research has suggested, these UPLs result in billions in extra taxpayer dollars being funneled to programs that are not even top priorities of the services themselves. Even Pentagon leadership has grown to support an end to the UPL requirement.
Roll call votes on this amendment will be included in NTU’s annual Rating of Congress and a “YES” vote will be considered the pro-taxpayer position.