Earlier on Friday, the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY 2025. One of the more newsworthy provisions from the Republican-controlled House has to do with a pro-life amendment offered by Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) prohibiting the abortion tourism policy for U.S. servicemembers under the Biden administration.
Ultimately, the amendment passed 214-207, mostly but not entirely along party lines. Republican Reps. John Duarte (CA) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA) voted against it, and Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX) voted in favor. Sixteen members did not vote.
The pro-life amendment has been slapped with a "hard-right" label by the mainstream media, including by POLITICO with their headline on Van Duyne.
The way in which the outlet also covered the NDAA sounds almost like pro-abortion press release, with input from Democrats further in the article, but no Republicans:
The House narrowly cleared defense policy legislation on Friday after Republicans tacked on divisive provisions restricting abortion access, medical treatment for transgender troops and efforts to combat climate change.
Speaker Mike Johnson’s move to permit culture war amendments to the annual National Defense Authorization Act turned a widely bipartisan bill into a measure supported almost entirely by Republicans. The tactic represented a gamble for Johnson, who could have pushed to pass a more bipartisan version with the help of Democrats, but instead catered to a sliver of his right flank.
That gamble ultimately paid off for Johnson as enough Republicans united to win the final vote. But the most conservative parts of the House defense bill stand no chance in the Senate, and the dispute likely won’t be sorted out until after the November elections.
The 217-199 vote saw all but six Democrats oppose the $895 billion bill. Only three Republicans broke ranks to oppose it. The outcome was far from certain, though, as lawmakers and aides speculated the vote would come down to attendance at the Friday session.
It’s the second year in a row House Republicans have elected to pass a hard-right Pentagon bill.
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Sure enough, a post from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on Friday afternoon slams the NDAA that passed the House as being "loaded with... divisive amendments guaranteed not to pass the Senate."
The NDAA coming out of the House is loaded with anti-LGBTQ+, anti-choice, anti-environment, and other divisive amendments guaranteed not to pass the Senate.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) June 14, 2024
We will have to work together to pass a bipartisan NDAA that honors and respects all who serve in defense of our nation.
For all of these labels, though, such a bipartisan amendment is crucial to put a stop to the Biden administration's pro-abortion policies that look to have taken over every part of the government. Following the leak of the Dobbs v. Jackson decision in May 2022, which ultimately overturned Roe v. Wade, the Biden administration was quick to act on implementing pro-abortion policies. Early last year, the Pentagon announced a policy slammed by House Armed Services Committee Mike Rogers (R-AL) as one that would turn the Department of Defense into "an abortion travel agency over a lethal fighting force."
Under such a policy, servicemembers and their dependents receive paid time off and have their travel expenses covered if they have to travel to obtain an abortion. There is no gestational limit under the policy. With the use of taxpayer funds, such policies not only conflict with the majority of Americans who don't want their tax dollars going towards elective abortions, but also the Hyde Amendment and 10 U.S.C. 1093.
Speaking from the House floor about her amendment, Van Duyne insisted it "is necessary" and shared "all we are asking the [Department of Defense] to do is actually follow the law, which under executive order currently, Biden is trying to have them surpass." She also remembered that such an amendment has had bipartisan support for years, and that "what we are seeing is extreme measures taken by Democrats to show us exactly where their abortion stance is."
"I was on the floor of this house last session," Van Duyne reminded, "when we voted for a bill that would allow taxpayer funded dollars to be used for abortions up until the moment of birth! If that is not extreme, I don't know what is."
With Democrats in control, under the supposedly "very Catholic" Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), the House indeed passed pro-abortion bills such as the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA), which would actually expand Roe.
The congresswoman also shared that "Republicans are supporting support for women who find themselves in these positions," reminding that "this is a defense bill, it should not be used to kill innocent lives and put women's lives at unnecessary risks, especially those supporting and fighting for this country and those values."
✅ PASSED: The House just voted to adopt my amendment to the NDAA. This will block the Biden Administration’s illegal practice of using taxpayer funds to reimburse abortion expenses. pic.twitter.com/rEzFwsRP8O
— Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne (@RepBethVanDuyne) June 13, 2024
For several months last year, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) sought to bring an end to the policy by holding up military promotions and nominees.
It's not merely abortion politics and the NDAA which will take months to "be sorted out." In more immediate news, the vote could also further affect the primary for a vulnerable Squad member, Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY).
Although Bowman has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood Action Fund and has a pro-abortion voting record, he still missed the vote on Thursday, which his primary opponent, Westchester County Executive George Latimer, pointed out. The primary takes place on Tuesday, with Latimer enjoying high profile endorsements from pro-Israel groups as well as Hillary Clinton and former Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-NY). He's also leading in the polls.
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