House GOP passes key defense bill with abortion restrictions
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House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images.
The House on Friday voted largely along party lines to pass key legislation setting military spending levels and policy.
Why it matters: The bill was amended to include controversial conservative language on abortion, transgender care, diversity programs and book bans.
Driving the news: The House voted 219-210 to pass the National Defense Authorization Act.
- Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), all Freedom Caucus members, voted against the bill along with conservative Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.).
- Reps. Don Davis (D-N.C.), Jared Golden (D-Maine), Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez (D-Wash.) and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.), all moderates from swing districts, voted for it.
- The bill typically passes by wide bipartisan margins.
The backdrop: The bill passed out of the Armed Services Committee by a lopsided 58-1 vote.
- But Democrats, incensed by Republicans passing an amendment to block a Biden administration policy allowing the Pentagon to cover abortion-related expenses, largely came out against the final bill.
- Some Freedom Caucus members were upset their amendments restricting aid to Ukraine failed, but most came around to supporting the bill.
What's next: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Thursday that the upper chamber will begin voting on their version of the NDAA next Tuesday, with votes on a "reasonable number" of amendments.
- The Senate's product is likely to be markedly more moderate than the House's version.
- The bill will then go to a conference committee, where negotiators from the two chambers will hammer out a compromise measure.
The big picture: This could end up putting House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in a similarly difficult situation as the debt limit.
- His right flank ground floor action to a halt in June after he pushed through a compromise deal with Democrats.
- It also foreshadows a difficult fight to come to keep the government funded and avert a shutdown.
Editor's note: This article has been corrected to reflect that Rep. Thomas Massie is not a Freedom Caucus member.
