Senate passes defense bill without blocking funding for abortion travel, setting up clash with House.

The Senate Passes National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Without Amendment on Pentagon Funding for Abortion Travel

The Senate passed ‍its‍ own version of the National Defense Authorization Act ⁤ (NDAA)⁣ on Thursday, setting the stage ⁣for a potential clash with the⁢ House. The bill, which received bipartisan support, was approved in an 86-11 vote.

“What’s ‌happening in the Senate is a stark contrast to a bipartisan race to the bottom we saw in the House where ‌House Republicans are pushing partisan legislation that has zero chance of passing,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said. “House Republicans should look‍ to the Senate to see how things get done.”

The bill faced opposition from a group of Republicans, including⁢ Senators Mike Lee (R-UT), Rand Paul (R-KY),‌ J.D. Vance (R-OH), and⁢ Mike⁢ Braun (R-IN). Senator Vance expressed his concerns about the bill, stating, “However, I cannot in‍ good conscience support the broader package, which commits the United States to years of additional military aid for the‍ war in Ukraine. It’s disappointing to me that these significant priorities that would benefit Ohioans have been bogged down with such deeply problematic foreign policy⁣ proposals.”

Several amendments were proposed during the Senate’s⁣ deliberations. An amendment to reinstate soldiers who left or were discharged over‍ the COVID vaccine was⁣ unsuccessful, while an amendment ​to prohibit the purchase of American farmland by China, ‍Russia, Iran, and North Korea passed. Additionally, the Senate added a measure to ‍ ban sales of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve ​(SPR) to ​these ‌countries.

Senator Rand Paul introduced an ⁤amendment to ⁤clarify Congress’s final authority on war​ declarations, but it was defeated. Paul emphasized ⁣the importance of upholding the Constitution, stating, “Article 5 of the NATO treaty does not supersede the Constitution.”

House Republicans Face Criticism ⁤for‌ Stripping Pentagon’s Authority on Abortion Travel

Democrats and⁣ the media have accused House⁣ Republicans of politicizing the bill by removing the Pentagon’s authority to allocate funds for women in the military to travel for abortions in states with pro-life protections. The House version of ⁣the NDAA, which passed along mostly partisan lines, also prohibited military‌ funding for sex change operations on military members.⁣ Both versions of the NDAA include a 5.2% raise for military members.

“Under⁢ this ​bill ‌our men and women​ in uniform, who make sacrifices for our nation every day, will receive‍ the biggest pay raise in decades,​ radical ⁢programs that are forced on our troops at the expense of readiness ‌are ⁢eliminated, cutting-edge technology that ⁢is essential for the future of this country and will help ⁤deter Communist China ‌will receive more investment, and taxpayers will save $40 billion as this bill roots out wasteful⁢ spending,” ⁣House⁢ Speaker Kevin⁢ McCarthy (R-CA) said after the⁢ House passed its version.

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