WASHINGTON, D.C. (LifeSiteNews) – Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives successfully amended the National Defense Authorization Act to prohibit President Joe Biden’s policy of funding abortions and chemical and surgical mutilation of service members.
The nearly $900 billion legislation must be passed in the U.S. Senate where Democrats hold a slim majority. Four Republicans voted against the bill while four Democrats supported it during the Thursday night vote. The amendments passed last night but the full law passed this morning.
“Now included in the defense package is a provision prohibiting the Defense Department from paying or reimbursing expenses related to abortion services — a policy implemented by the Pentagon after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year,” CBS News reported. “Sen. Tommy Tuberville, an Alabama Republican, has been holding up military promotions and nominations over the policy.”
“An amendment denying healthcare coverage for sex reassignment surgeries and hormone treatments for transgender service members was passed narrowly, as was a measure eliminating the Pentagon’s offices of diversity, equity and inclusion, and their personnel,” the mainstream media outlet reported.
Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (R-CO) also won approval of an amendment prohibiting Department of Defense-operated (DOD) schools from buying pornographic materials.
The DOD implemented a policy that assists service members and their families in killing babies through abortion. The Biden administration simply issued a memo and Democrats have refused to put the policy up for a vote.
Representatives Chip Roy and Ronny Jackson, both of Texas, led the charge in the House of Representatives to stop the policy.
“The Biden Administration’s flagrantly political decision to create an abortion travel slush fund both flies in the face of current law and violates nearly half a century of bipartisan consensus to protect Americans’ conscience rights by preventing taxpayer dollars from funding most abortions,” Roy previously stated. “Our military is not a political pawn for the left’s social agenda. House Republicans have the power of the purse and we should use it.”
Pro-life groups heralded the legislative victory.
“Today the House took a powerful step toward reining in Biden’s illegal policy of taxpayer-funded abortion travel at the Department of Defense,” SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser stated in a news release. “Representatives Jackson and Roy have courageously led the charge to force the administration to follow the four decades old law against taxpayer funding for abortion at the DOD.”
“Now the House must send the Jackson-Roy amendment in the NDAA to the Senate, and then on to the president’s desk,” Dannenfelser stated. “We also applaud Speaker McCarthy, Leader Scalise, Chairman Rogers and Subcommittee Chairman Banks for their work to curtail this administration’s funding for brutal, painful abortions.”
Thank you for your leadership Congressman! https://t.co/qMJeGZfZhv
— Kristan Hawkins (@KristanHawkins) July 13, 2023
“Thank you for your leadership Congressman!” Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America and Students for Life Action, tweeted at Congressman Jackson.
Prior to the final vote, Family Research Council praised the legislation.
“We commend @housegop for last night’s passage of NDAA amendments providing strong, pro-life, pro-family protections in the bill and we urge the House to pass the NDAA in the final vote today,” the pro-family group tweeted.
BREAKING: The NDAA has passed the U.S. House by a vote of 219-210. 🎉 https://t.co/86KdDm3ggp
— Family Research Council (@FRCdc) July 14, 2023
The Biden Administration referred to its woke DEI policies as necessary to give the United States a “strategic advantage,” as recently reported by LifeSiteNews.
The White House issued a statement Monday criticizing the amendments, claiming that the military’s “strategic advantage in a complex global security environment is the diverse and dynamic talent pool from which we draw. We rely on diverse perspectives, experiences, and skillsets to remain a global leader, deter war, and keep our nation secure.”
“Moreover, DoD is committed to developing and maintaining a dignified, respectful, and safe workplace,” the administration stated. “Legislation that reduces DoD’s ability to create a positive work environment and fully leverage the best our nation has to offer puts the Department at a strategic disadvantage.”