The Senate has passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), an $895 billion defense spending package that sets the budget for the Defense Department for the following year. The bill includes a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender children of military service members, which drew criticism from over 20 Democratic senators led by Sen. Tammy Baldwin. Despite their efforts to amend the bill, the ban remained in place.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer acknowledged that the NDAA is not perfect, but highlighted some Democratic wins in the bill, such as strengthening military families and boosting tech innovation. House Speaker Mike Johnson, on the other hand, supported including the ban on gender-affirming care for minors, framing it as a move away from “radical woke ideology.”
In the House, the bill passed with the majority of Republicans and some Democrats voting in favor. Rep. Adam Smith, a Democrat, criticized the provision and voted against the bill, arguing that it puts children’s lives at risk and may force service members to choose between military service and their child’s healthcare needs.
Sen. Baldwin stressed that military service members should be allowed to make decisions about their children’s care, rather than the federal government. While the bill heads to President Joe Biden’s desk, it remains a subject of controversy due to the inclusion of the ban on gender-affirming care for minors.
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