The House is scheduled to consider the National Defense Authorization Act next week, and it seems the floor debate will focus largely on contentious issues with messages meant to stretch beyond military operations and onto the 2024 campaign trail.

House lawmakers have filed more than 1,400 amendments, CQ reported, including:

• Language filed by Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) to prohibit DOD from reimbursing travel expenses for service members’ reproductive health services.
• Multiple amendments to gut DOD’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
• Several amendments restricting medical care and other rights for transgender individuals.

Several other amendments call for various DOD reviews of how aid to Ukraine has been spent so far. House leaders and the Republican-led Rules Committee will decide which amendments come up for floor debate.

House and Senate leaders have expressed hope that their chambers can pass their respective authorization bills before the August break. That would mean a conference committee could craft a compromise bill in the fall.

Air Force photo by Senior Airman Alexus Wilcox