The United States House of Representatives has passed an unprecedented military spending bill that authorizes $886 million, including $300 million that would go in support of Ukraine.
Despite passing the vote 219-210, many lawmakers see its chances of becoming law as uncertain after GOP members added a series of culturally conservative amendments. The House passed, largely along party lines, the fiscal 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which sets policy for the Pentagon.
House Passes Near $1 Billion Military Spending Bill
The situation marks a very different look from the typical bipartisan support that such a bill receives as it has been passed every year since 1961. The House measure included an increase in pay for military members, initiatives to counter China, and additional funding for Ukraine to fight against Russia's invasion.
During debate on the measure, Democratic lawmakers warned that the majority of them would not be supporting the bill after the GOP-led House voted on Thursday for amendments on various social issues that were being pushed by the party's hard-right flank members, as per Reuters.
The amendment, which received a final vote of 221-213, would reverse the Defense Department's policy of reimbursing expenses for service members who travel to get an abortion. The measure comes after the United States Supreme Court last year overturned Roe v. Wade Constitutional protections for abortion.
While several states in the country have since moved to impose new and restrictive abortion policies, the procedure remains legal in other regions. Additionally, the Pentagon's travel reimbursement policy was made to help those in the military or their family members who are seeking the procedure but are stationed in states that have outlawed abortion.
In a statement, Republican Rep. Barry Loudermilk said that House Republicans passed an NDAA that increases the military's lethality and "decreases the wokeness" that he argued has been infused in its ranks in the past few years, which was a reference to the conservative amendments that were approved by lawmakers.
Furthermore, Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy defended the new measure and strategy of allowing controversial amendments that the right flank put forth. He said that members were given a voice in what the bill would look like without predetermining what will be included, according to CNN.
Adding Controversial Amendments
On the other hand, the three House Democratic leaders issued a statement attacking Republican lawmakers for pushing the defense bill farther to the right. Next week, the Senate is expected to begin consideration of its own version of the NDAA. It would include an initial procedural vote to take up the bill on Tuesday.
There were only four "nay" votes among Republicans, which came from Reps. Donald Davis of North Carolina, Gabriel Vasquez of New Mexico, Jared Golden of Maine, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington.
Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee on Friday accused McCarthy of pandering to the most conservative Republican lawmakers with the amendments.
He said that these were more focused on the "culture war" than on military readiness. He added that such changes would only make the current military recruitment crisis even worse, said Fox News.
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