{"id":1975507,"date":"2023-07-17T18:41:02","date_gmt":"2023-07-17T22:41:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-set-to-debate-defense-bill-after-house-loads-its-version-with-culture-war-measures\/"},"modified":"2023-07-17T18:44:26","modified_gmt":"2023-07-17T22:44:26","slug":"senate-set-to-debate-defense-bill-after-house-loads-its-version-with-culture-war-measures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-set-to-debate-defense-bill-after-house-loads-its-version-with-culture-war-measures\/","title":{"rendered":"Senate to Discuss Defense Bill Following House&#8217;s Inclusion of &#8216;Culture War&#8217; Measures"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsenate-set-to-debate-defense-bill-after-house-loads-its-version-with-culture-war-measures%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1975507&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div class=\"post_content\">\n  \u200b<\/p>\n<p>Get ready for a \u200dshowdown \u200bin Congress! As\u2063 of mid-afternoon July 17,\u2062 senators have filed a \u2064whopping 666 \u2063prospective amendments\u200b to\u2064 the\u2063 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).\u200d This bill outlines the\u200b United States&#8217; \u2064defense budget for Fiscal Year 2024, and\u2062 it&#8217;s \u200ca big one, \u200ctotaling\u2064 $886.3 billion.<\/p>\n<p> \u200b <\/p>\n<p>But here&#8217;s\u200b the\u2063 catch: it&#8217;s uncertain how many of \u200cthese amendments \u200cwill actually be debated \u2064on the Senate \u200cfloor. According to \u200dSen. Chris Van\u2062 Hollen (D-Md.), &#8220;we&#8217;ll have to figure out which \u200camendments \u2064get offered.&#8221; It&#8217;s \u200call\u200c part\u2063 of \u2062the negotiation \u2064process, and\u200c the \u200dgoal is \u200bto wrap \u2064it\u2064 up before\u2063 Congress \u200bleaves \u200cin August.<\/p>\n<p>The House has already passed its preliminary version \u2063of\u2062 the defense budget, but \u2063it was\u2063 a\u200b near<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-backs-culture-war-amendments-to-defense-bill-ensuring-showdown-at-final-vote\/\" title=\"House supports 'culture war' amendments in defense bill, guaranteeing a showdown in final vote.\">-total partisan vote<\/a>. The GOP-majority\u200d House\u2064 attached a \u200dslew of &#8220;culture war&#8221;\u2064 amendments that \u2062are\u200c unlikely to \u2062pass in the Democrat-controlled Senate. \u200cThese amendments aim\u2064 to repeal the Department\u200c of \u200cDefense&#8217;s abortion \u2064travel policy, prohibit gender transition procedures, and \u200deliminate diversity\u2064 programs,\u2064 among other things.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5402526\" style=\"width: 600px\"\u2064 class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n \u2064   <a href=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2023\/07\/17\/id5402526-07112023-DSC06699-Sen-Schumer-1200x800.jpg\"><br \/>\n \u200b \u2063 \u200d   \u200b<figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><\/noscript><\/figcaption>\u200d  \u200d \u2062 <\/a><br \/>\n  \u200c  Sen. Charles Schumer \u200d(D-N.Y.) \u200bspeaks \u2063at\u2062 a\u200b press conference on July 11, 2023,\u2062 in Washington. (Madalina \u200dVasiliu\/The\u2062 Epoch Times)<br \/>\n  <\/figure>\n<h2>Race to Oct. 1<\/h2>\n<p>  \u200d<\/p>\n<p>Both the House\u2062 and \u200bSenate have preliminary\u200b defense spending plans that align with President\u200c Joe Biden&#8217;s\u200c proposed budget. \u2063The \u200bgoal\u200b is to resolve any \u200cdifferences between the two versions and \u2062present\u200c one NDAA for adoption before the new fiscal \u2064year begins on Oct. 1.<\/p>\n<p> \u2064 <\/p>\n<p>How those differences\u200b will be ironed out and how many &#8220;culture\u200d war&#8221; amendments will make it into the final bill will be \u2064a\u200c <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-seeks-to-refocus-new-york-hudson-valley-voters-on-inflation-crime-border-in-house-race\/\" title=\"GOP Seeks to Refocus New York Hudson Valley Voters on Inflation, Crime, Border in House Race\">closely watched battle<\/a> between the chambers. Congress\u2064 returns to\u2063 full session on\u200c Sept. 5, so expect\u2063 some intense\u200b backroom \u200cnegotiations.<\/p>\n<p>The House\u200d version\u2062 of\u2064 the\u200c NDAA is \u200dalready \u2063packed\u200c with \u2064&#8221;culture\u2064 war&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-set-to-debate-defense-bill-after-house-loads-its-version-with-culture-war-measures\/\" title=\"Senate to Discuss Defense Bill Following House's Inclusion of 'Culture War' Measures\">components \u200ctargeting diversity programs<\/a>, critical race theory, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pentagon-announce-new-transgender-service-member-policies-on-international-transgender-day-of-visibility-everything-you-need-to-know\/\" title=\"Pentagon Announce New Transgender Service Member Policies On \u2018International Transgender Day Of Visibility\u2019: Everything You Need To Know\">transgender health care<\/a>. \u200cConservatives, led by the House Freedom Caucus,\u2064 added even more proposed amendments \u200bto counter what \u200bthey see as \u2063the \u2062Biden \u200cadministration&#8217;s attempt to &#8220;politicize&#8221;\u200d the Pentagon.<\/p>\n<p> \u2062 <figure\u200b id=\"attachment_5220439\" style=\"width: \u2062600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n  \u2064\u2064  \u2064<a href=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2023\/04\/25\/id5220439-GettyImages-1423403824-1200x800.jpg\"><br \/>\n    \u200c \u2064<figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><\/noscript><\/figcaption>\u200b <\/a><br \/>\n \u2062   Sen.\u2064 Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)\u2063 during\u200b a Senate \u200cJudiciary Committee Hearing on \u2063data security at\u2064 Twitter, on \u2062Capitol Hill\u2062 in Washington, on Sept. 13, 2022. (Kevin Dietsch\/Getty\u200c Images)<br \/>\n \u2063 <\/figure>\n<p>\u200d  <\/p>\n<h2>Two\u200b Senate Add-Ons Target DOD\u200c Abortion Policy<\/h2>\n<p>\u200b \u2063 <\/p>\n<p>One of\u2063 the \u2064biggest \u2064wins\u2064 for\u200c conservatives\u2062 in the NDAA \u200cis the repeal of \u2064the DOD&#8217;s abortion \u2062travel policy. \u200cRep. Ronny Jackson&#8217;s \u2064add-on,\u200c which\u200c passed in the House,\u200c aims \u2064to stop \u2064the \u200breimbursement of\u200c expenses for \u200cservice members traveling \u200dto obtain an abortion \u2064in \u200crestricted \u2063states.\u2062 It&#8217;s seen as \u2064a violation of\u2062 U.S. Code \u200cTitle \u206210, which\u200d restricts\u2062 funds for abortions.<\/p>\n<p> \u2062 <\/p>\n<p>While the \u200cSenate \u200cversion \u2062of \u200dthe NDAA doesn&#8217;t include \u200cthe &#8220;culture war&#8221; amendments, at least two Republican senators have\u2063 filed proposed amendments to replicate the House repeal. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and\u2064 Sen. \u200dMarsha \u2064Blackburn (R-Tenn.) \u200bare leading the charge.<\/p>\n<p>\u2064  <\/p>\n<p>Will these amendments\u200b make\u200c it to\u2063 the Senate floor? Many Republicans doubt it. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.)\u2064 called it a &#8220;charade.&#8221; \u200cHowever,\u2063 there is a proposed Democrat-backed amendment that \u2064would codify the\u200c DOD&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/politicization-of-the-military-shows-democrats-and-republicans-recruiting-crisis-through-different-ideological-lenses\/\" title=\"Politicization of the Military Shows Democrats and Republicans Recruiting Crisis Through Different Ideological Lenses\">abortion travel policy<\/a> into federal statute.<\/p>\n<p>\u2062  <figure\u200c id=\"attachment_5022634\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2023\/01\/31\/GettyImages-1459434442-1200x800.jpg\"><br \/>\n\u200d<figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><\/noscript><\/figcaption>\u2063 <\/a><br \/>\n    Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) speaks in\u200d Washington in \u2062January 2023. \u2063(Anna Moneymaker\/Getty Images)<br \/>\n\u2063  <\/figure>\n<p>  \u2063<\/p>\n<h2>&#8216;Conscience \u2062Protections,&#8217; \u200dDEI, Vaccine\u200b Damages<\/h2>\n<p>\u200c \u2063 <\/p>\n<p>While \u200dmost of the proposed amendments\u200b focus\u2063 on \u200dtechnical issues, there \u200dare \u2064some notable ones \u200dto watch.\u200c Sen. Mike \u200cLee (R-Utah) has filed 31 amendments, Sen. \u200cJames Lankford (R-Okla.) has \u206229, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) \u2064has 27, and\u200b Sen. Ted Cruz \u200d(R-Texas) has \u206223.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Lankford&#8217;s amendment aims\u200c to provide &#8220;conscience protections&#8221; \u2063for military \u200dhealth care providers \u200bwho have\u200d sincere religious or\u2064 moral objections\u2064 to certain medical procedures. \u200dSen. \u200cCruz&#8217;s amendment seeks remedies\u200d for\u2063 those\u200b discharged\u2062 from \u200bthe\u2063 military \u2064due to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.<\/p>\n<p>Other proposed amendments include\u200d demands to\u200d cease diversity programs, ban\u2064 transgender surgeries for \u200cminors, \u200band ensure no DOD \u2062funds \u200bare \u2063used\u200b for certain medical procedures.<\/p>\n<p>  \u2064<\/p>\n<p>With so many amendments on the\u200b table, it&#8217;s going to be a wild ride as Congress races to \u2063finalize \u2063the NDAA before\u2063 Oct. 1. Stay tuned!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As of July 17, senators have filed 666 amendments to the NDAA. Over the next two weeks, the chamber will discuss and decide on these amendments as they work on the $886.3 billion defense budget for FY 2024. The number of amendments to be debated is uncertain.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":509,"featured_media":1975508,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1975507","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1975507","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/509"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1975507"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1975507\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1975508"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1975507"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1975507"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1975507"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}