The House passed the National Defense Authorization Act with bipartisan support Wednesday night, despite opposition from both sides.
NDAA passed The House approved more than $895 billion in defense spending by a vote of 281-140. The bill had issues from both parties, but Republican Chairman Mike Johnson included a last-minute provision that would prohibit military health systems from providing transgender surgeries to minors with taxpayer funds. Democratic members of Congress voted against the NDAA.
“We also believe it is important for the Department of Defense to refocus on military lethality rather than radical woke ideology.”
“Our men and women in uniform must know that their first duty is to protect our country, not any woke ideology,” Johnson said. said In a Thursday post to said.
During months of negotiations, other controversial provisions were removed from the NDAA.
“We also believe it is important that the Department of Defense refocus on military lethality rather than radical woke ideology,” Johnson continued. “This legislation permanently bans transgender treatment of minors, bans critical race theory at military academies, ends DEI bureaucracy, and combats anti-Semitism.”
Many of the 124 Democrats who opposed the restrictions accused Republicans of “restricting access to health care.” This is a euphemism for a serious and irreversible treatment that, as Johnson pointed out, often results in sterilization of the child, in addition to other permanent side effects.
Democratic Congresswoman Sarah Jacobs of California said, “Without restricting access to health care or compromising military readiness, retention, or conscription, we can continue to support our military and military personnel who make tremendous sacrifices for us. We should support military families.” said “That's why I voted against this year's NDAA,” he wrote in a post to X on Wednesday.
Other Democrats, like Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, said the provision was “bigotry against the trans community” and that transgender treatment is “critical to the health and well-being of our children.” .
Of the 16 Republicans who voted against the NDAA, several cited concerns about exorbitant prices, while others said the bill simply did not do enough to combat “woke ideology.” there was.
“I voted against the NDAA,” said Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas. said “Thanks to our hard work, we're getting better. We're grateful,” she wrote in a Wednesday post about X. [Speaker Johnson] Because it maintains lower spending power than the Senate and fights child mutilation. But it's still not enough. There is more to do. ”
Although Johnson was able to amend some of the woke language in the bill, the NDAA still authorizes transgender treatment for adults and supports the Pentagon's policy to compensate military members who travel for abortions. I am doing it.
“This NDAA could end the current military abortion travel policy, continued biased diversity, equity, and inclusion practices and positions at the Department of Defense,” said Montana Republican Congressman Matt Rosendale. “It does not prohibit taxpayer-funded surgeries on transgender military personnel.” said in a press release Wednesday. “Moreover, it continued to fund the heinous act of indefinitely detaining American citizens. This bill is not only disingenuous, it is also unconstitutional.”
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