Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan laid down a marker for House Republicans on the recently passed National Defense Authorization Act.
Appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union” with aging muppet Jake Tapper, the other Jake said, “This legislation is never getting to the president’s desk,because what you have seen from an extreme group of Republicans is to put forward a set of amendments that try to mix domestic social debates with the needs, the security needs of our nation.“
What the Democrats object to are Republican amendments that remove some of the most egregious abuses imposed on the Department of Defense by the Biden White House and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. Specifically, the amendments prohibited the Pentagon from providing “gender-affirming care” to the burgeoning number of transgender service members, underwriting travel and medical expenses of women service members seeking abortion, and paying anyone implementing diversity, inclusion, and equity programs.
The bill that funds the military and sets troop strength and Defense priorities for Fiscal Year 2024 passed the House of Representatives on Friday by a vote of 219-210. All but four Democrats voted against the bill, while four Republicans voted against it. The four Republican “no” votes didn’t think the bill was strong enough. They were Andy Biggs of AZ, Ken Buck of CO, Eli Crane of AZ, and Thomas Massie of KY.
I don’t think anyone in the House expects this bill to survive in the Senate and be signed into law. In the end, the controversial amendments will be stripped, and Biden will sign the bill. The House needs to make these votes, even if they will never become law, because somewhere along the way, the Democrats will give up something to avoid the Defense Department limping along on a continuing resolution during an election year.
But along the way, this is going to be damned interesting. The very fact that Speaker McCarthy supported the Freedom Caucus during the fight over amendments is significant. It shows McCarthy knows that he needs the Freedom Caucus to function. The Freedom Caucus is in the mood to fight. Caucus Chairman, Pennsylvania’s Scott Perry, said, “We are not going to relent, we are not going to back down, we’re not going to give up on the cause that is righteous.” Speaker McCarthy has also named Marjorie Taylor Greene to the conference committee that will negotiate with the Senate.