Unlikely for conservative NDAA amendments to be included in Senate’s version.

House Republicans Celebrate Passage of National Defense Authorization Act

House Republicans are celebrating their victory in passing the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), but the fate of their preferred policy wins remains uncertain. While the bill was approved by a vote of 219-210, it is unclear how many of the amendments addressing social issues will actually become law.

Conservative Amendments Shape the NDAA

The House GOP made a bold move by voting in favor of several amendments that tackle social issues. These amendments aim to end the Pentagon’s diversity and inclusion efforts, as well as its policies regarding abortion and transgender service members. These decisions have shaped the fiscal 2024 NDAA, which not only sets policy for the Pentagon but also authorizes $886 billion in spending.

The conservative amendments caused all but four Democrats to vote against the bill, breaking the usual bipartisan tradition of the NDAA.

Controversial Reversals and Cuts

One of the key reversals made by House Republicans was the decision to cut the Pentagon’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and personnel. Additionally, they voted to reverse the Pentagon’s policy of reimbursing service members for travel expenses related to out-of-state abortions when the procedure is illegal or heavily restricted in their home state.

Democratic leaders, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Whip Katherine Clark, and Rep. Pete Aguilar, criticized these moves as an attempt by “extreme MAGA Republicans” to impose their right-wing ideology on the American people and attack reproductive freedom.

Next Steps in the Senate

The Democratic-controlled Senate will now take up its own version of the NDAA, which is expected to exclude the controversial provisions passed by the House Republicans. This will require both chambers to negotiate and compromise in order to merge the bills into one that can be sent to President Joe Biden’s desk.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has announced that voting on the Senate’s version of the bill will begin next Tuesday.

It is worth noting that a few House members broke from their caucuses during the vote. Reps. Jared Golden, Don Davis, Marie G. Perez, and Gabe Vasquez, all Democrats, voted in favor of the NDAA. On the other hand, Reps. Thomas Massie, Andy Biggs, Ken Buck, and Eli Crane, all Republicans, voted against it.