House Armed Services Chairman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) has vowed to fight the Trump Administration’s ban on transgender individuals in the military but will not let the issue get in the way of a bipartisan, bicameral defense authorization bill, he indicated to C-SPAN’s “Newsmakers” Friday.
The Supreme Court Jan. 22 cleared the way for the administration to implement its ban, though the policy details are not entirely clear.
Smith called the policy “discrimination” and said his committee will look at the issue but realizes it might not be a priority of the Republican-led Senate.
“I’m not going to NOT pass a defense bill because the Senate’s in one place and we’re in another” on one provision, Smith said.
Post-Leadership, McConnell Plans to Push for More Defense Funding
When Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell steps down from his Senate leadership role after the November elections, he’ll have at least two more years in the Senate. Now he’s signaled one of his priorities as a rank-and-file Senator is to increase defense funding,...
