House prepares for NDAA battle as contentious amendments jeopardize approval.

The House Rules Committee Prepares for Battle Over National Defense Authorization Amendments

The House Rules Committee is gearing up for a crucial meeting on Thursday to continue discussions on which national defense authorization amendments should be advanced to the floor. This sets the stage for what could be a dayslong fight to vote on the must-pass legislation.

During their initial markup of the National Defense Authorization Act, committee members approved only 300 out of over 1,500 proposed amendments to move forward for votes. This leaves hundreds of other potentially controversial measures that address Department of Defense policies on abortion, climate change, and transgender issues. These measures have the potential to derail Democratic support for the NDAA as a whole.

Conservatives Threaten to Withhold Support

Republican leaders are aiming to pass the bill as early as Friday, hoping to send the defense measure to the Senate for consideration before the August recess. However, several hard-line conservatives are threatening to withhold their support until their demands are met, throwing a wrench in the party leadership’s timeline.

One major point of contention is the recently implemented Pentagon policy that allows service members to travel out of state to receive an abortion and other “non-covered reproductive health care services.” Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX) introduced an amendment to overturn this policy, gaining support from nearly 50 Republican co-sponsors. GOP leaders have indicated that the amendment is likely to reach the floor for a vote, as many Republicans accuse the Biden administration of using the Defense Department to advance its own agenda.

However, Democrats have expressed concerns that including such an amendment could erode crucial support from across the party. Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar (D-CA) stated that a provision restricting women from receiving leave for healthcare would be deeply problematic for the House Democratic Caucus.

Disastrous Consequences for GOP Leadership

Losing Democratic support could prove disastrous for GOP leadership, as some rank-and-file Republicans have already voiced their opposition to the defense measure. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) tweeted that the NDAA isn’t ready for prime time and threatened to vote against the rule vote to bring it to the floor.

If other Republicans follow suit, it could pose a math problem for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as he seeks to advance the must-pass legislation. This is especially true if Republicans attach an amendment reversing abortion access for service members, which would likely prompt several Democrats to vote against the NDAA.

As a result, some Republicans are urging their colleagues to withdraw any controversial amendments that could jeopardize the must-pass legislation. Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) emphasized the progress made in the underlying bill and the risk of losing Democratic support if certain amendments are pushed further.

Next Steps and Potential Delays

The House Rules Committee is working to downsize the number of amendments before sending the bill to the full House. However, lawmakers may still have to endure numerous amendment votes on the floor later this week, potentially leading to standoffs that could further delay progress.

The Senate will take up its own version of the NDAA later this month, but the timing of a vote in the upper chamber remains uncertain. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has stated that the Senate plans to address the NDAA next week, aiming to pass the legislation before the August recess.

With the battle over national defense authorization amendments intensifying, the fate of the NDAA hangs in the balance.