In a move that underscores the increasingly contentious nature of U.S. politics, the Republican-led House narrowly passed a defense policy bill on Friday. The $895 billion Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), initially designed to enhance the well-being of service members, has become a battleground for cultural and social issues. The vote, which fell largely along party lines at 217-199, followed days of heated debate and intense negotiations.
The House Armed Services Committee initially sent the legislation to the full House with nearly unanimous bipartisan approval. However, support from Democrats waned as Republicans tacked on amendments targeting abortion access and transgender rights, among other controversial social policies. One of the most divisive amendments, introduced by Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas), blocks the Defense Department from reimbursing travel costs for service members and dependents who need to cross state lines to obtain an abortion or other reproductive health care.
“Under stretched Defense Department resources already, to underwrite abortions through funding for flights and hotels is simply pandering to the abortion lobby and does nothing to increase our national security,” Van Duyne argued. This provision was a red line for many Democrats, who saw it as an attack on reproductive rights and the health and safety of service members.
Targeting Transgender Service Members
Another contentious amendment prevents Tricare, the military’s health care program, from covering gender-transition surgeries and hormone therapies for transgender troops. Republicans also voted to eliminate all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices in the military and institute a permanent hiring freeze for DEI jobs. These amendments have been criticized for undermining the purpose of the defense bill and demeaning service members.
“The adoption of poison pill amendments attacking reproductive health care, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people of color undermines the purpose of the defense bill by demeaning service members and degrading our national security,” top Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee said in a statement.
Despite the social policy controversies, the bill includes significant quality-of-life improvements for service members. It calls for a 4.5% pay raise for all service members, with an additional 15% pay bump for junior enlisted troops ranked E-4 and below. This nearly 20% pay raise for the military’s youngest service members is a critical measure aimed at improving recruitment and retention.
The bill also addresses housing and food allowances, health care, military spouse support, and child care. It reduces wait times for health care by waiving referral requirements for specialists and provides new authorities to expand the number of Defense Department doctors and nurses. Additionally, it makes it easier for military spouses to transfer professional licenses between states and authorizes $206 million to build new child care centers.
“We are making these historic improvements in the quality of life for our service members because now, more than ever, we need to recruit and retain the best and the brightest,” said Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.
Senate to Weigh In
The Senate Armed Services Committee is set to release its draft of the defense authorization bill. Before the year is out, both chambers of Congress will negotiate the final version. However, the inclusion of socially divisive amendments in the House version threatens to derail the bill’s passage.
In the Senate, the NDAA is expected to receive a warmer bipartisan reception, although it remains to be seen whether the contentious House amendments will survive. Historically, polarizing amendments have been stripped from the final reconciled bill. This year, the Senate is proposing a 5.5% pay increase for service members, a figure that differs from the House’s proposal.
For the transgender community and their allies, the House’s version of the NDAA represents a significant setback. The amendments targeting transgender medical care and DEI initiatives are seen as direct attacks on the rights and well-being of transgender service members. The push to remove these amendments in the final version of the bill will be a critical focus for advocacy groups and supportive lawmakers.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized the amendments, stating, “The extreme MAGA Republicans are not interested in governing. They have hijacked the National Defense Authorization Act in order to jam their extreme right-wing ideology down the throats of the American people.”
Looking Ahead
As the House and Senate prepare to negotiate the final version of the NDAA, the stakes are high. The bill’s passage is crucial for maintaining national security and supporting the well-being of service members. However, the inclusion of socially divisive amendments threatens to derail this must-pass legislation.
The defense bill has become law each year for more than six decades, typically with bipartisan support. Yet, the erosion of this support in the face of partisan social policy debates raises questions about the future of the NDAA.
For transgender individuals and their allies, the outcome of these negotiations will have a profound impact. The removal of anti-transgender and anti-DEI provisions from the final bill is essential for ensuring that all service members are treated with dignity and respect.
As the legislative process unfolds, it is crucial for advocates to remain engaged and vocal. The rights and well-being of transgender service members and their families hang in the balance, and the outcome of this bill will set a significant precedent for the future of military policy.
The Bottom Line
The passage of the House’s version of the NDAA marks a critical juncture in the intersection of national security and social policy. While the bill includes much-needed quality-of-life improvements for service members, the addition of divisive amendments threatens its ultimate passage. As the Senate takes up its version of the bill, the fight to remove these contentious provisions will be a key focus for lawmakers and advocates alike. For transgender service members and their allies, the stakes could not be higher.
