US House passes massive defense policy bill, despite transgender provision
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives passed a defense policy bill on Wednesday, governing a record $895 billion in annual military spending, despite inclusion of a controversial policy targeting gender-affirming care for transgender children.
The tally was 281-140 in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, sending it for consideration by the Democratic-led U.S. Senate.
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In addition to the typical NDAA provisions on purchases of military equipment and boosting competitiveness with archrivals like China and Russia, this year’s 1,800-page bill focuses on improving the quality of life for the U.S. military.
It authorizes a 14.5% pay increase for the lowest-ranking troops, and 4.5% for the rest of the force, which is higher than usual. It also authorizes the construction of military housing, schools and childcare centers.
The bill bans the military health program, TRICARE, from covering gender-affirming care for the transgender children of service members if it could risk sterilization.
Including the provision in the bill, which sets policy for the Department of Defense, underscored how much attention transgender issues have gotten in U.S. politics and indicated Republicans plan to continue to highlight the politically polarizing topic.
After it passed, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson praised the measure as refocusing the military on its core mission. “Our men and women in uniform should know their first obligation is protecting our nation, not woke ideology,” he said in a statement.
The massive bill is one of the few major pieces of legislation that Congress passes every year and lawmakers take great pride in having passed it every year for more than six decades.
The bill is a compromise between Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate, reached during weeks of negotiations behind closed doors. House passage sends the measure to the Democratic-led Senate. Passage there would send it to the White House for President Joe Biden to sign into law or veto.
