Republicans pushed a highly partisan defense bill through the House on Friday that would limit abortion access, transgender care and diversity training for military personnel, setting the stage for a showdown with the Senate. The upcoming battle could jeopardize key annual measures to raise soldiers’ pay, set defense policy against America’s adversaries, and sustain the Pentagon’s plans amid rising threats. be.
The House passed the bill on a 219-210 vote with near-unanimous support from Republicans, forcing a reluctant Speaker Kevin McCarthy to threaten to block the bill and open it up to a series of social policy provisions. It was a huge victory for the far-right wing, which had lost its gains. If they don’t get their way. But the move leaves the fate of the bill in big doubt, moving the bill forward with little chance of passing the Democratic-controlled Senate and questioning whether a compromise that could be passed this fall can be reached. caused.
And the results suggested more intense fighting at the Capitol to avert a government shutdown. Despite knowing that Mr. McCarthy’s capitulation to the right could cost him key Democratic support for must-pass legislation, hardliners are pushing for similar social enforcement in a federal It was a gamble that could set the stage for future disputes over spending. Conservative policies across the government.
Some Republicans, particularly in battleground states, pay a political price by passing bills that limit the rights of women and transgender people and downplay the issue of racism in the military. There is a possibility. Democrats had already highlighted the bill as a prime example of what they say are extreme and out of touch with the values of mainstream voters, and attacked them for doing so.
But McCarthy said Republicans “did exactly what we said we would do” by using the defense bill to try to get the administration to “stop spending taxpayer money on their own wokeness.” He defended the bill.
“If you train your troops in a state of wakefulness, they will not be able to defend themselves,” he added.
Democrats denounced the bill, saying Republican leaders turned what began as a bipartisan policy into an overly politicized salvo in a broader culture war to please a small right-wing wing of the party. denounced.
“The extreme MAGA Republicans have hijacked and weaponized a bipartisan bill vital to national security to force their far-right ideology down the throats of the American people,” said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Minority Whip. the leader told reporters on Friday.
The changes would also discourage women, transgender people and minorities from enlisting, and the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, said they would “undermine our ability to achieve our national security goals.” He warned that the policies he described would exacerbate conscription challenges. this country. ”
The addition of partisan policy requirements is expected to significantly complicate the normally bipartisan process of negotiating a final defense bill in Congress. Senators are expected to vote on competing versions of the defense bill this month, in what is expected to be a difficult negotiation as both chambers iron out their differences. Congress has never failed to agree to and pass an annual defense bill in 60 years.
On Friday, ultra-conservative House Republicans warned they were not willing to accept a compromise with the Senate.
“We are not going to relent, we are not going to back down, we are not going to abandon the cause of justice,” Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pennsylvania, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, told reporters. He said lawmakers “will use every tool at our disposal” to defend socially conservative changes to the bill, calling it a “huge victory.”
And in a sign that the far right will have a loud voice in negotiations, McCarthy said Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene will be a member of the Senate negotiating team.
At issue is 8860, which would give military personnel a 5.2% pay raise, include programs to counter aggressive moves by China and Russia, and create a special inspector general to oversee U.S. aid to Ukraine. It’s a billion dollar bill.
But almost the entire House debate focused on dozens of conservative social policy lines that Republicans had insisted on including instead. Over nearly unanimous Democratic opposition, Republicans added a provision reversing a Pentagon policy put in place after the Supreme Court struck down abortion rights that required people to travel out of state to obtain an abortion. Provided military personnel with vacation and travel compensation. Republicans argue that the policy violates federal law that prohibits taxpayer dollars from being used for abortions, even though it does not include paying for abortions.
Republicans also added a measure that would prohibit the military from providing health insurance for gender transition surgery (which currently requires a waiver) and related hormone therapy. It includes language that would eliminate all Department of Defense Offices of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and associated positions, and prevent the Department from adopting affirmative action policies in admissions decisions for military academies. It was included.
The House of Representatives has added language that would prohibit the Department of Defense’s education division from purchasing pornography or books that “espouse extremist gender ideology.” And Republicans, with the help of nine Democrats, won approval of a policy that would prohibit Pentagon schools from teaching that the United States or its founding documents are racist.
Republicans also added language to block the Pentagon and military from implementing President Biden’s executive orders on climate change.
Hardline Republicans hailed the additions as a victory and said they would continue to press party leaders to include ultra-conservative provisions in other must-pass bills, including 12 spending measures to fund the government. .
“The center of gravity of the Republican conference has gradually shifted to the right,” Rep. Clay Higgins, R-Louisiana, a member of the hard-line Freedom Caucus, said Friday.
House Democrats’ campaign arm was quick to seize on the bill’s passage, attacking Republicans who face a tough redistricting campaign in 2024. Democratic Party spokeswoman Courtney Rice said in a series of statements directed at more than 20 battleground districts represented by Republicans. The Congressional Campaign Committee said that Republican lawmakers are “rushing to enact an extreme agenda, including a national abortion ban, historic approval of essential national defense programs, and pay increases for brave men and women.” “I’m willing to take over a bipartisan bill.” Please protect our country. ”
In the end, only four Republicans voted against the bill, all on the right: Andy Biggs of Arizona, Ken Buck of Colorado, and Eli Crane of Arizona. , was Congressman Thomas Massey of Kentucky. Four centrist Democrats, Rep. Don Davis of North Carolina, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, Rep. Marie Grusenkamp Perez of Washington state, and Rep. Gabe Vazquez of New Mexico, also joined. He voted yes and left the party.
One point of bipartisan consensus Thursday appeared to be widespread opposition to Republican efforts to reduce or eliminate military aid and arms shipments to Ukraine.
In a series of lopsided votes, the House of Representatives banned the Biden administration from sending cluster munitions to Ukraine and $300 million to train and equip Ukrainian soldiers, which has been part of the defense bill for nearly a year. rejected Mr Green’s proposal to strip the government of its plans. It also includes a proposal by Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to bar Congress from diverting any more funds to Ukraine’s war effort.
The House of Representatives completely avoided debate over whether Mr. McCarthy would repeal decades of authorization for the use of military force in the Middle East, which have been extended to justify long-term military action. later this year.