WASHINGTON — The Republican-led House on Friday narrowly passed a defense policy bill that tacked on conservative culture war provisions to a bipartisan effort to improve quality of life for service members. The vote fell largely along party lines, 217-199, and followed days of heated debate over the $895 billion Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act, an annual must-pass bill that this year named the well-being of troops as a top focus.
The House Armed Services Committee had sent the legislation to the full House with nearly unanimous bipartisan approval but backing for the bill from Democrats fell away as Republicans added amendments targeting abortion access for troops and other controversial social policies. The Senate Armed Services Committee was also set to release its draft of the defense authorization bill on Friday. A final version is negotiated by both chambers of Congress and typically passed before the end of the year.
In the House version of the legislation, Republicans successfully voted to block the Defense Department from reimbursing travel costs for service members and dependents who need to cross state lines to obtain an abortion or other reproductive health care — a red line for many Democrats. Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, introduced the amendment and argued the Pentagon policy violated laws that prevent taxpayer dollars from being used for abortions.
The Justice Department has upheld the legality of the policy. "Under stretched [Defense Department] resources already, to underwrite abortions through funding for flights and hotels is simply pandering to the abortion lobby and does nothing to increase our national security," Van Duyne said. Another amendment prevents the military's health care program – known as Tricare – from covering gender-transition surgeries and hormone therapies for transgender troops.
Republicans also voted to eliminate all diversity, equity and inclusion offices in the military and institute a permanent hiring freeze for DEI jobs. "The adoption of poison pill amendments attacking reproductive health care, women, LGBTQ+ individuals and people of color undermines the purpose of the defense bill by demeaning service members and degrading our national security," top Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee said in a statement.
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https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us...l-diversity-abortion-troops-pay-14181290.html
Source - Stars and Stripes
