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The original was posted on /r/keep_track by /u/rusticgorilla on 2023-07-17 12:08:35.
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The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) authorizes funding levels and provides authorities for the U.S. military and other critical defense priorities, ensuring U.S. troops have the training, equipment, and resources they need to carry out their missions.
The House NDAA passed last week would authorize $874.2 billion in national defense spending, including $841.5 billion for the Defense Department and $32.2 billion for national security programs within the Energy Department. It would also provide a 5.2 percent military pay increase.
The final vote was 219-210, with all but four Democrats voting against it: Reps. Don Davis (D-NC), Jared Golden (D-ME), Perez (D-WA), and Vasquez (D-NM) voted for the NDAA despite numerous amendments that advance GOP “culture war” issues sure to doom the bill in the Senate (where Democratic support is required to reach the 60-vote threshold). Four Republicans, all members of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, voted against final passage. In Rep. Andy Biggs’ (R-AZ) words, the NDAA did not go far enough to “rein in the Biden Administration’s disastrous policies.”
All clips can be found on C-Span: July 13 and July 14.
Reproductive care
Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX) introduced an amendment to prohibit the Defense Department from reimbursing personnel for travel expenses related to abortion services. The policy, announced earlier this year, was designed to make it easier for service members and their dependents to access reproductive health care after a slew of states banned or restricted abortion procedures.
The amendment passed 221-213, with only one Democrat—Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas—voting in favor. Two Republicans, Reps. John Duarte (CA) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA), opposed the measure.
In arguing for his amendment, Rep. Ronny Jackson accused the Department of Defense of illegally “sidestepping” the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade:
“I urge all of my colleagues to vote in strong support of my amendment to repeal the Department of Defense’s illegal and immoral abortion policy. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s historic Dobbs decision, overturning Roe vs. Wade, the Biden administration immediately set out to sidestep the court’s ruling and circumvent the law wherever possible. The Biden administration has encouraged every federal agency to create rules and adopt policies that not only expand abortion access but also leave American taxpayers on the hook to subsidize abortion services… It is the Biden administration who has sidestepped existing law and given the department permission to take this illegal action. This has left us with no choice but to take corrective measures and pass additional legislation. The days of the radical left ignoring the law and pushing their destructive social agenda in the military are done. I absolutely will not waver in my defense of the rule of law, therefore, ensuring that taxpayer money is not used to kill innocent babies and, in doing so, ensure that our military service members can focus on the jobs that they have in front of them and their families instead of being used for the political gain of the Biden administration.”
Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill (NJ) spoke in opposition, pointing out that almost 50% of women in U.S. military service do not live/are not stationed in an area with access to abortion care:
“I rise today in vehement opposition to the amendment proposed by Rep. Jackson. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle like to thank the troops and talk about honoring their sacrifice and that’s all, frankly, empty words and broken promises if this amendment passes. This amendment puts servicewomen and military families’ lives at risk by denying the basic right to travel for health care, no longer available where they are stationed. Now that Iowa passed anti-abortion restrictions, 46% of servicewomen do not have access to abortion care. This would enact a dangerous health care travel ban. Service members signed up to put their lives on the line for our freedoms, our national values, our constitutional rights—they did not sign up to put their lives on the line or their spouse’s lives on the line because they could not get access to basic care. I was an officer in the Navy. What I learned was that good leaders protect their squadron. They don’t abandon them in favor of their own politics or agenda. How am I supposed to recommend to young girls in my district that they should attend a service academy like I did when we know this amendment would mean they would be signing away their right to basic health care? This makes our servicewomen pawns in their extreme agenda and is a stepping stone to larger bans, restrictions, and wholesale disregard for women’s health care in America.”
Gender-affirming care
Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT) introduced an amendment to ban military health insurance and the Department of Defense from providing or covering gender-affirming treatment for transgender people. The measure, Rosendale admitted on the floor, is a shortcut to banning transgender people from the U.S. military:
“Gender reassignment surgery…and psychotherapy for gender dysphoria…does nothing to help our troops continue to be the most effective fighting force on Earth and is nothing but a distraction and waste of valuable taxpayer dollars. The government has no business funding these procedures on the taxpayer’s dime. The question that must be asked is whether having transgender individuals makes the United States a more lethal force and whether it helps recruit the best and most effective talent for the United States military — and the answer to that is a clear and resounding no.”
“A report commissioned by general Mattis found that service members with claims of gender dysphoria are 8 times more likely to attempt suicide than other service members. It also found that these individuals are nine times more likely to have negative mental health episodes than other service members. As Thomas Spore, a former army lieutenant general, put it: if those with gender dysphoria are at a much higher risk of suicide, crippling anxiety, or mental breakdowns than their peers, those serving next to them will be reluctant to rely on them. Permitting them to serve also violates the principle of not placing individuals at greater risk of injury in harm’s way. To summarize this: anything that does not contribute to making our fighting force the most effective fighting force on Earth is nothing more than a distraction and I will not ask the people of Montana or the United States to pay for it.”
Democratic Rep. Adam Smith (WA), ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, argued that gender-affirming care should be treated like any other healthcare service members may need:
“The ignorance contained in these comments is breathtaking. Transgender people who have normal regular health care are no more to likely commit suicide than anybody else. So basically, the statistics that he is showing, once someone identifies they are having a problem, they’re more likely to have a problem. That would be like saying we have identified that service members that complain of PTSD symptoms are more likely to commit suicide. The point is to get proper care for transgender people and you don’t have these issues. It is the ignorance that has prevented them from getting that proper care…We need transgender people to serve in the military and this amendment should be defeated.”
The amendment passed 222-211, with Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX) voting in favor and Republican Rep. John Duarte (CA) voting in opposition.
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) introduced a similar amendment to prohibit the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP), a program for military family members with special needs, from providing gender-affirming treatment to minor dependent children. After saying that people “who don’t know whether they are a man or woman” should not be allowed to serve in the military, Norman suggested that providing gender-affirmi…
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