House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-Wash.) on Wednesday echoed language from President Biden that Republicans are taking the debt ceiling increase “hostage” by tying an increase to broad, deep spending cuts, as The Hill reported.

“There is no way to make the substantial cuts to discretionary spending the Republican majority is vaguely proposing without doing great harm to the defense budget and the national security of this country,” Smith said in a statement. “You cannot increase the defense budget while refusing to take the steps necessary to actually raise the debt ceiling, and while proposing to make massive cuts to the discretionary budget.

HASC was set to start marking up the fiscal year 2024 NDAA in subcommittees today but postponed the process indefinitely, as On Base reported. The Senate also postponed its NDAA consideration, as On Base also reported.

Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jensen Stidham