Senate to Discuss Defense Bill Following House’s Inclusion of ‘Culture War’ Measures
Get ready for a showdown in Congress! As of mid-afternoon July 17, senators have filed a whopping 666 prospective amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This bill outlines the United States’ defense budget for Fiscal Year 2024, and it’s a big one, totaling $886.3 billion.
But here’s the catch: it’s uncertain how many of these amendments will actually be debated on the Senate floor. According to Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), “we’ll have to figure out which amendments get offered.” It’s all part of the negotiation process, and the goal is to wrap it up before Congress leaves in August.
The House has already passed its preliminary version of the defense budget, but it was a near-total partisan vote. The GOP-majority House attached a slew of “culture war” amendments that are unlikely to pass in the Democrat-controlled Senate. These amendments aim to repeal the Department of Defense’s abortion travel policy, prohibit gender transition procedures, and eliminate diversity programs, among other things.
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) speaks at a press conference on July 11, 2023, in Washington. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)
Race to Oct. 1
Both the House and Senate have preliminary defense spending plans that align with President Joe Biden’s proposed budget. The goal is to resolve any differences between the two versions and present one NDAA for adoption before the new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1.
How those differences will be ironed out and how many “culture war” amendments will make it into the final bill will be a closely watched battle between the chambers. Congress returns to full session on Sept. 5, so expect some intense backroom negotiations.
The House version of the NDAA is already packed with ”culture war” components targeting diversity programs, critical race theory, and transgender health care. Conservatives, led by the House Freedom Caucus, added even more proposed amendments to counter what they see as the Biden administration’s attempt to “politicize” the Pentagon.
One of the biggest wins for conservatives in the NDAA is the repeal of the DOD’s abortion travel policy. Rep. Ronny Jackson’s add-on, which passed in the House, aims to stop the reimbursement of expenses for service members traveling to obtain an abortion in restricted states. It’s seen as a violation of U.S. Code Title 10, which restricts funds for abortions. While the Senate version of the NDAA doesn’t include the “culture war” amendments, at least two Republican senators have filed proposed amendments to replicate the House repeal. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) are leading the charge. Will these amendments make it to the Senate floor? Many Republicans doubt it. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) called it a “charade.” However, there is a proposed Democrat-backed amendment that would codify the DOD’s abortion travel policy into federal statute. While most of the proposed amendments focus on technical issues, there are some notable ones to watch. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) has filed 31 amendments, Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) has 29, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) has 27, and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has 23. Sen. Lankford’s amendment aims to provide “conscience protections” for military health care providers who have sincere religious or moral objections to certain medical procedures. Sen. Cruz’s amendment seeks remedies for those discharged from the military due to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Other proposed amendments include demands to cease diversity programs, ban transgender surgeries for minors, and ensure no DOD funds are used for certain medical procedures. With so many amendments on the table, it’s going to be a wild ride as Congress races to finalize the NDAA before Oct. 1. Stay tuned!
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) during a Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on data security at Twitter, on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Sept. 13, 2022. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
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Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) speaks in Washington in January 2023. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
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