TIFTON, GA – Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), released the below statement on his vote to override President Trump’s veto of the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (FY21 NDAA), which authorizes spending for the Department of Defense.

“The NDAA is one of the most important pieces of legislation our body passes each year, as it pays our warfighters and provides them with the resources they need to tackle their missions and return home safely. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee and as the grandson of a World War II POW, this is a task I take very seriously,” said Rep. Austin Scott.

President Trump ultimately vetoed the measure due the package not addressing concerns over Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which created federal immunity for providers and users of social media companies and generally prevents them from being held liable for hosting content that someone else created.

“While I believe the President is founded in his concerns over Section 230, it is in our nation’s best interest to pass the NDAA to deliver much-needed resources to our men and women in uniform, including a 3% pay raise and critical resources for installations like Robins and Moody Air Force Bases in Georgia’s Eighth District,” said. Rep. Scott. “Social media companies should be held accountable for their selective censorship and bias that in many cases impedes the First Amendment of American citizens, but this issue can and should be addressed separate from the defense bill. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress and President Trump to address this measure.”

In November, Rep. Scott was chosen to serve on a conference committee which was charged with working through differences of the House and Senate versions of FY21 NDAA to comprise a final bill for passage. The final bill provided resources for Robins and Moody Air Forces Bases in Georgia’s Eighth District, as well as a 3% pay raise for troops and resources to help the Department of Defense combat COVID-19. Click here to read more.

In July, Rep. Scott joined “FOX and Friends First” to discuss the FY21 NDAA and the President’s intention to veto the legislation and the importance of deliver a defense bill for the Department of Defense. You can click here to watch the interview.

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