WASHINGTON, D.C. (WNAX) – Democratic Senators last week blocked passage of an appropriations bill that included almost seven hundred billion dollars in defense spending for fiscal year 2020.

South Dakota Senator John Thune addressed the military’s needs in a Senate floor speech.

 Thune says defense technology is constantly evolving.

Thune says the military budget shouldn’t be part of the ongoing tug of war in Congress.

Congress had a bi-partisan, 2.7 trillion-dollar budget deal in July which set funding levels for defense and non-military spending. The Presidents plans to shift about four billion dollars in defense spending to the Mexican border wall pulled support for the overall spending bill.