Republicans PASS $886 billion defense spending bill that limits abortion access for troops and bans funding of transgender medical care
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) narrowly passed the House 219-210, punting the legislation to the Senate.
Four Democrats voted in favor of the bill while four Republicans opposed the $886 billion annual must-pass defense bill, which had been amended to take on not foreign enemies of the state but Republican enemies here at home – with amendments that will address abortion, transgenderism etc.
An amendment from Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, to prohibit the Pentagon from helping to pay for travel for abortion services passed the House. So did one to ban that would ban military healthcare from paying for gender transition surgery.
An amendment to ban military recruitment from considering diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) passed – but one to ban all DEI training in the military failed.
Some far-right amendments – one from Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., to prohibit funding for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training, one from Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., to ban sending cluster munitions to Ukraine and one from Rep. Bob Good to allow Pentagon facilities to keep the names of Confederate generals – were rejected.
Still, most right-wing members of the conference voted for the bill. The Freedom Caucus and those aligned with it have been a wild card for Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s vote wrangling on must-pass legislation.
The original, unamended NDAA had passed out of the Armed Services in a broad bipartisan showing: 58-1. Democrats tore into Republicans for politicizing the bill during the amendment process.
But the bill included a five percent pay raise for service members – so four Democrats from moderate districts voted for it.
The spending bill is likely to be toned down in the Democrat-run Senate – making way for more House Democrats – and fewer House Republicans – to vote for the final bill.
