The House passed its version of the National Defense Authorization Act Friday on a near party-line vote, a rarity for legislation that usually passes with overwhelmingly bipartisan numbers. All but a few Democrats voted against the bill after Republican amendments were added related to abortion, transgender service members and DOD diversity programs.
“House Republicans today passed an NDAA that increases our military’s lethality and decreases the wokeness that has been infused in its ranks in recent years,” Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) said, according to Reuters.
The Senate is set to begin floor debate on its version Tuesday. It’s expected to pass a more moderate, bipartisan bill. That will make for a potentially contentious conference process to reconcile the two bills before the official deadline of Sept. 30 – though the NDAA’s final passage has occasionally slipped until later in the calendar year.
Army National Guard photo of Loudermilk by Sgt. 1st Class R.J. Lannom Jr.
