Obama Vetoes NDAA, Blocking Firearms To U.S. Troops And Civilians

President Barack Obama on Thursday vetoed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which contains provisions that would make it easier for U.S. Armed Forces to actually be armed on U.S. military facilities, and would allow the U.S. Army’s remaining stock of .45 ACP 1911A1 pistols to be sold to the public through the Civilian Marksmanship Program.

Although the annual NDAA is considered “must pass” legislation because it sets funding levels and priorities for the Defense Department, and although it was passed with clear bipartisan majorities in the House (where it passed by 270-156) and Senate (70-27), Obama vetoed it—only the fourth time a president has done so since 1961.

“The president would not only reject his own budget request for national defense … but also deny our troops the resources they need to defend the nation,” said U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. McCain described Obama’s veto as “reckless, cynical and downright dangerous.”