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WASHINGTON — House Republicans passed the National Defense Authorization Act after the GOP leadership made several concessions to the party’s right flank in a big gamble.
Legislation passed XX-XX.
Members of the House Freedom Caucus, some of the most conservative lawmakers in the chamber, pressured McCarthy to stage last-minute floor votes on several controversial amendments, ranging from targeting the Pentagon’s abortion policy decline in climate change initiatives. Despite the infighting, House Republicans managed to push through the NDAA without much Democratic support.
The amendments jeopardized the final passage of the legislation, a must-have defense bill that sets the Pentagon’s policy agenda and authorizes how the Department of Defense uses federal funding. The NDAA has traditionally passed with bipartisan support, but some conservative amendments prevented Democratic lawmakers from backing the final version this year.
“I’m afraid of appeasement, appeasement and all that stuff,” Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, told reporters on Wednesday, dismissing the idea that the amendments could have scared off crucial votes. “Every member of the body has the right to propose amendments.”
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WASHINGTON — House Republicans failed to pass the National Defense Authorization Act after the GOP leadership made several concessions to the party’s right flank in a big gamble.
Legislation failed XX-XX.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and his allies have agreed with members of the House Freedom Caucus, some of the most conservative lawmakers in the chamber, to hold votes on amendments to the national defense clearance. The controversial amendments ranged from targeting the Pentagon’s abortion policy to rolling back climate change initiatives.
The amendments jeopardized the eventual passage of the legislation, which sets the Pentagon’s policy agenda and authorizes how the Department of Defense uses federal funding. The NDAA has traditionally passed with bipartisan support, but the amendments prevented Democrats from ultimately backing the final version.
Some House GOP lawmakers warned fellow conservatives that the NDAA would likely fail if the amendments passed. Rep. Nancy Mace, RS.C., who has tried to pivot her party slightly toward the center on issues such as abortion, tweeted on Wednesday so as not to “mess it up.”
What amendments were the House Conservatives trying to pass?
Among some of the pain points for House Conservatives:
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Abortion: An amendment proposed by Representative Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, would dismantle a Pentagon policy that reimburses out-of-state travel for service members who have abortions. It is one of the most popular amendments among House Conservatives, with more than 70 co-sponsors. Republicans passed the measure by a majority partisan vote of 221 to 213.
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Ukrainian expenses: A vocal minority of House GOP lawmakers who have expressed skepticism about continued US aid to Ukraine have tabled amendments aimed at restricting military aid. The majority of lawmakers from both parties support sending funds to Kyiv. An amendment of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., which sought to withdraw $300 million in funding from Kyiv was defeated by a bipartisan vote of 89 to 341.
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Anti-trans provisions: Some amendments target transgender health care policies at the Pentagon. Representative Matt Rosendale, R-Mo., proposed an amendment limiting gender-affirming care for transgender service members. Republicans passed it by a majority partisan vote of 222 to 211.
The Senate will vote on its own version of the defense bill
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., announced in the Senate on Tuesday that the upper house will vote on its own version of the NDAA.
Both versions of the legislation include President Joe Biden’s proposed 5.2% wage increase for federal workers and the military. Both bills are also close to Biden’s recommended budget of $886 billion for the Department of Defense.
The House version, which revisits the Pentagon’s abortion policy, will likely be a key point of negotiation between the two houses as they seek to consolidate their versions of the bill.
Conservative House members back down on Pentagon abortion policy
A key victory for the more conservative lawmakers in the House was the passage of an amendment dismantling the Pentagon’s abortion policy reimbursing travel expenses for service members who travel out of state to have abortions.
Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the lead Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, told the Washington Post on Monday that he has specific concerns about “the far-right amendments that have been tabled, especially those related to abortion, guns, the border, and issues of social policy and equity.
Even Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., one of the most vocal right-wing lawmakers, said earlier before the abortion vote that he had doubts about whether the amendment would make it into the bill. of law.
“I don’t believe we have a pro-life house,” Gaetz told reporters Thursday, adding that he still thought it was important for lawmakers to formally vote on the policy.
Why is the NDAA so important?
The NDAA is a common battleground for political debate, but this time around, House conservatives pushed hard to see their demands met. Since the House passed the debt ceiling deal brokered between McCarthy and Biden earlier this year, far-right lawmakers have threatened to block legislative action.
“What is the urgency? Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, told reporters on Tuesday evening the timing of the final passage, adding that he saw no reason why the NDAA needed to be completed the week lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill.
The NDAA does not provide funding, but authorizes how the money can be spent. For several years, Department of Defense officials have urged Congress to act in a timely manner to maintain national security. The NDAA is a first step toward new funding for the military — something Congress will have to deal with later this year.
“The best way for Congress to secure our strategic advantage is with timely ownership,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told the Senate Armed Services Committee in May.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: House defense bill vote passes/fails after clashes over abortion and revival.