House GOP adds culture war amendments to annual defense spending bill

House Republicans added a series of culture war amendments to the annual defense bill on Thursday, complicating the traditionally bipartisan measure’s path to final passage later this year.

Among the additions to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed Thursday was a measure to block a Biden administration policy of reimbursing military personnel for travel costs when getting an abortion. The amendment, led by Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas), is a top priority for conservatives and passed 214-207.

Reps. John Duarte (R-Calif.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) were the only GOP “no” votes, while Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) was the only Democrat to support the amendment.

The House also approved amendments to prohibit the Pentagon from providing gender-affirming care to transgender people and to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices and positions.

These measures are certain to sink Democratic support for the bill when it reaches the House floor on Friday — even though it passed by a near-unanimous committee vote — a dynamic that will force GOP leaders to rely on their slim majority. . to get legislation over the finish line.

“Amendments like this cheapen the National Defense Authorization Act,” said Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) during debate on Van Duyne’s reimbursement for abortion services amendment. “Once again, this majority has chosen not to treat national security issues with the seriousness with which they deserve to be treated, and is choosing to use the National Defense Authorization Act to push their extremist culture war agenda down the throats of Americans. people.”

Van Duyne, however, said his amendment is about returning to a long-standing policy with the same principles as the Hyde amendment, a repeatedly passed policy that prohibits federal funds from being spent on abortion.

“I would like to ask my kind colleagues to please tell me how to support and pay [Department of Defense] funding for a woman to travel across the country to get an abortion has something to do with protecting our national security,” Van Duyne said.

House Republicans can only afford to lose two of their own on any partisan measures if all lawmakers are present, leaving leaders little room for error when the NDAA comes to the floor for a final vote.

Even if the House NDAA clears the House on Friday, it is not expected to move in the Democratic-controlled Senate – where there is no appetite for the culture war changes added on Thursday – setting the stage for a House vs. House showdown. .

The Senate Armed Services Committee is still working on its version of the NDAA, and the text is not expected to be released until July, a panel spokesperson told The Hill on Thursday.

One of the changes added to the NDAA on Thursday seeks to remove the position of chief diversity officer from the Pentagon and prevent any similar position from being established. The chamber approved the measure, introduced by Rep. Brian Higgins (RN.Y.), by a vote of 214 to 210.

Fitzpatrick and Reps. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.), Thomas Kean Jr. (RN.J.) and Mike Turner (R-Ohio) joined all Democrats in voting “no.”

Another amendment, led by Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), called for the elimination of any diversity, equity and inclusion positions within the military and the Pentagon, and the removal of employees who work in those offices. The measure passed the chamber 211-208 after lawmakers had to repeal the amendment.

The first vote on the Norman amendment ended in a 212-212 tie, which in the House is a defeat. The secretariat, however, determined that the delegates’ votes would be decisive in the final vote, which led the Chamber to hold a second vote on the measure, which was approved.

Fitzpatrick, Chavez-DeRemer, Turner and Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) and Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.) all supported Democrats in opposing the measure.

Republicans have also targeted transgender health care through amendments. A measure led by Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) called for a ban on TRICARE – the health care program for active duty service members – from covering gender transition surgeries and gender hormone treatments for individuals who identify as transgender.

The amendment passed the chamber by a vote of 213 to 206. One Republican, Representative Tony Gonzales (Texas), voted “no,” and one Democrat, Cuellar, voted “yes.”

The NDAA’s path so far is mirroring last year’s process, when House Republicans passed their version of legislation that included a series of culture war changes, only to be eliminated in the compromise measure crafted by key lawmakers in both the cameras. The final product passed the House on a bipartisan vote of 310 to 118.

Some controversial changes, however, were approved, including measures to restrict “critical race theory” at military academies and ban unauthorized flags on military bases, having the effect of banning the flying of LGBTQ flags.

Some culture war amendments were also added to this year’s House NDAA ahead of Thursday night’s votes.

On Wednesday, lawmakers voted to support an amendment sponsored by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) that prohibits any funds from the legislation from being used to implement a series of President Biden’s executive orders on climate change. It passed by a vote of 215 to 210, with one Democrat – Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska) – voting “yes” and two Republicans, Fitzpatrick and Chavez-DeRemer, opposing the measure.

Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) used an eye-catching visual aide to protest an amendment prohibiting the spending of funds on drag shows and “drag queen story hours”: a poster featuring former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani in drag, alongside former President Trump.

“We know that inclusion in our military is good for our country. We want to welcome anyone who wants to serve. I would invite my fellow Republicans to join me at a drag show in the future. You will see that drag is not a threat to anyone,” said Garcia.

This amendment was approved by voice vote.

Democrats are already going after Republicans — especially those in tough reelection races — for supporting culture war changes to defense legislation, especially Van Duyne’s abortion measure.

“If it is a day that ends in ‘Y,’ House Republicans will vote in favor of national abortion restrictions,” said Viet Shelton, spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, in a statement. “They are more interested in attacking the reproductive freedoms of our country’s military than in ensuring our troops have the support they need, and voters will not forget how wrong these attacks are when they go to the polls in November. ”

Updated at 7:10 p.m.