The U.S. Senate passed an $895 billion defense spending bill under the National Defense Authorization Act on Wednesday.
According to Fox News, the massive defense spending bill, which included a ban on funding for child sex changes and placed limitations on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in the military, was passed 85 to 14. Following last week’s vote in the House of Representatives and Wednesday’s vote in the Senate, the legislation awaits President Joe Biden’s signature.
Fox News reported that this year’s defense spending bill will prevent Tricare, the U.S. military’s health care provider, from funding transgender procedures “that could result in sterilization” for children under the age of 18. The outlet also noted that the legislation extends a hiring freeze on roles related to DEI initiatives until “an investigation of the Pentagon’s DEI programs” is finalized.
The Daily Mail reported that while the defense spending bill passed both the House and the Senate with bipartisan support, many Democrat lawmakers opposed the inclusion of the child sex change funding ban and the limitations on DEI in the military by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).
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Addressing reporters recently regarding the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, Johnson said, “We improved housing for our military families and other benefits, and it’s also why we stopped funds from going to CRT in our military academies.”
Johnson added, “We banned TRICARE from prescribing treatments that would ultimately sterilize our kids, and we gutted the DEI bureaucracy.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y) also addressed the bill, saying, “Of course, the NDAA is not perfect. It doesn’t have everything either side would like … But of course, you need bipartisanship to get this through the finish line.”
Fox News reported that the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act includes multiple quality-of-life improvements for U.S. military members, including a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members, job support for spouses of service members, and increased access to child care for military members.
According to Fox News, the legislation also includes a 4.5% pay raise for all military members that will take effect on January 1, 2025, as well as a 2% increase for civilian employees working for the Department of Defense.
