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The Senate voted Wednesday to pass the $895 billion defense authorization bill, despite a provision on transgender care that turned off some Democrats, moving it to President Biden’s desk for signature as law
Senators voted 85 to 14 to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), well above the 60 needed in the 100-member upper house. The bill moved forward even with the insertion of a controversial measure that would ban some gender-affirming care for the transgender children of service members.
“Today, for the 64th year in a row, the Senate is passing a bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act to protect the American people and strengthen our security,” the Senate Majority Leader said.Chuck Schumer(DN.Y.) made a speech before the vote. “The NDAA is not perfect, but it still makes several important advances that Democrats fought for to secure America’s national defense and take a firm stand against the Chinese Communist Party.”
The bill, which sets Pentagon policy for the year,it passed the House 281 to 140last week
Must-pass legislation typically passes with widespread bipartisan support, but that changed after the presidentMike Johnson(R-La.) inserted last-minute language into the bill that would restrict the use of funds from TRICARE, the health care program for active-duty service members, for affirmative care of gender for military children aged 18 and under. members
That prompted a handful of Democrats to vote against it, including Sens. Tammy Balwin (Wisc.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) and Ed Markey (Mass.).
A group of 21 Democratic senators tried to block the provision at the 11th hour,introducing an amendmentOn Monday, that would affect Johnson’s language, but the effort did not pass.
Baldwin, who had led the push to eliminate the so-called “poison pill,” urged his colleagues to reject the NDAA, arguing that lawmakers’ commitment to America’s service members has been “broken.” .
“It’s broken because some Republicans decided that getting the rights of our service members to score cheap political points was more dignified,” he said in remarks on the Senate floor before the vote.
“We’re talking about parents who serve our country in uniform, who have the right to see their family doctor and get the health care they want and need for their transgender children, that’s all,” he added, adding point out that the provision will affect between 6,000 and 7,000 military families.
He later continued: “Some people poisoned this bill and turned their backs on those in the service and the people we represent.”
But other Democratic senators supported it, arguing it was too important to national security not to pass.
“This is a strong, forward-looking bill that we can all be proud of,” Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed (D-R.I.) said before the vote, though he acknowledged that there are “concerns that some of my colleagues have” about the legislation.
“I share the frustration of many of my colleagues that the bill includes a provision that would prohibit gender affirmation in health care for minors under certain circumstances,” Reed said. “Ultimately, however, we have before us a very strong National Defense Authorization Act. I am confident that it will provide the Department of Defense and our servicemen and women with the resources they need to meet and defeat threats to national security that we face.”
The fiscal year 2025 NDAA, a mammoth 1,800-page document, authorizes an $895 billion top line for Pentagon spending and sets policy goals. Among the provisions included are a 14.5 percent pay raise for junior enlisted troops and a 4.5 percent raise for all other service members, along with funds to bolster the U.S. presence in the ‘Indo-Pacific and build new warships, aircraft and vehicles.
It also includes language that prevents the Department of Defense from supporting critical race theory at academic institutions and puts a year-long hiring freeze on positions related to diversity, equity and inclusion programs within the army.
The compromise legislation was introduced earlier this month after weeks of closed-door negotiations between Democrats and Republicans.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) voted against the bill after criticizing its price tag, lamenting last week that the current defense system “is designed to make huge profits for a handful of defense contractors giants while providing less than the country.” needs.”
“We don’t need to spend nearly a trillion dollars on the military while half a million Americans are homeless, children are going hungry, and the elderly can’t afford to heat their homes in the winter “, he said in statements to the Senate. .
Others expected a bigger budget, like Sen.Roger Wicker(Miss.), soon to be the next chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). Both pushed for an additional $25 billion, but were unable to make it happen.
While the NDAA authorizes Pentagon programs, it does not fund them, and Congress must pass an appropriations bill separately. Since that legislation is unlikely to be voted on before March, that means McConnell, who will take over as chairman of the Senate Appropriations panel’s defense subcommittee next year, could still raise the $895 billion .
“Artificial budget constraints mean that major billing provisions, like a pay raise for enlisted service members, will come at the expense of investments in critical weapons and munitions systems that deter conflict and keep them safe,” he said. McConnell said Monday.
“For all the talk about the growing threats to America’s national security, the time has come for an honest conversation about the military requirements to meet those needs.”
With the expectation that Biden quickly signs the NDAA, the bill will retain its status of having passed more than 60 years in a row.
