Some Dems Defect, Vote Against Defense Authorization Act Over Trans Issue

The Senate voted on Wednesday to pass the $895 billion Defense Authorization Bill, despite a provision on transgender care that caused concern among some Democrats, sending it to President Biden’s desk for final approval.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was approved 85 to 14 by senators, surpassing the 60 votes needed in the 100-member chamber. The bill moved forward even with the inclusion of a controversial measure that would ban certain gender-affirming care for transgender children of service members, The Hill reported.

“Today, for the 64th consecutive year, the Senate passes a bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act to protect the American people and strengthen our security,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a floor speech ahead of the vote. “The NDAA is not perfect, but it still makes several important advances Democrats fought for to secure America’s national defense and take a strong stand against the Chinese Communist Party.”

The measure, which establishes Defense Department policy and priorities for the year, passed the House last week 281-140.

The must-pass legislation, which usually receives broad bipartisan support, faced opposition this time after Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) added last-minute language restricting the use of TRICARE funds — the health care program for active-duty service members — for gender-affirming care for children 18 and under of military members.

This change prompted a handful of Democrats to vote against the bill, including Sens. Tammy Baldwin (Wis.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), and Ed Markey (Mass.).

But the fact that a transgender provision was included in a defense bill in the first place reinforces President-elect Donald Trump’s choice of former Fox News host Pete Hegseth to lead the department. Hegseth has repeatedly said that transgenderism has no place in the U.S. military because gender-affirming care is ongoing and essentially makes trans troops non-deployable.

Also, both Trump and Hegseth have said they want the Pentagon and the various U.S. military academies laser-focused on lethality and winning the nation’s wars, not cultural and social issues that distract from producing such a force, especially as global threats from China and other nations grow.

A group of 21 Democratic senators attempted to block the provision at the last minute, introducing an amendment on Monday to remove Johnson’s language. However, the effort failed to pass. Baldwin, who had led the push to eliminate the controversial provision, urged her colleagues to reject the NDAA, arguing that lawmakers’ commitment to U.S. service members had been “broken.”

 

 

VA

Related Posts

No-Bake German Chocolate Pie :

Craving the toasted coconut-pecan frosting and deep chocolate flavor of a classic German chocolate cake—but don’t feel like baking? Meet your new summer (or anytime!) dessert hero:…

🪳 If You Find This Insect in Your Home, Here’s What It Means – Meet the Silverfish 🚨💧

You’re putting away laundry, reaching into a cabinet, or flipping on the bathroom light—and suddenly, a shimmery, silvery insect darts away like a tiny fish on legs….

10 Surprising Health Benefits of Baking Soda You Should Know

Surprising Health Benefits of Baking Soda You Should Know Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a staple in many kitchens, usually for baking cakes or…

Donald Trump promises to give $2,000 to almost everyone in America – here’s who will receive the payout

He has tied his sweeping tariff agenda to a bold promise: “A dividend of at least $2000 a person (not including high income people!) will be paid…

Nana’s Simple Trick to Sparkling Ovens

Cleaning the oven doesn’t have to mean scrubbing for hours or inhaling harsh fumes. Nana’s no-fuss method uses just three things: a dishwashing pod, a heatproof casserole…

Airplane Crash

Turkiye and Azerbaijan have indicated that there are fatalities after a C-130 cargo aircraft crashed on Tuesday A Turkish military plane with at least 20 people on…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *