Thursday, 10 October 2024

House passes National Defense Authorization Act, but 3 Republicans opposed passage


House passes National Defense Authorization Act, but 3 Republicans opposed passage House passes National Defense Authorization Act, but 3 Republicans opposed passage

In a 217-199 vote, the House of Representatives passed the "Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025."

The vote was mostly along party lines, but six Democrats joined with 211 Republicans to pass the measure, while three Republicans voted with 196 Democrats against passage.

'Whether an egg is fertilized inside or outside of the womb, LIFE BEGINS AT CONCEPTION!'

The three Republicans who opposed passage of the NDAA were Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, and Matt Rosendale of Montana.

In a statement, Rosendale explained that his opposition to the measure pertained to in vitro fertilization. The congressman noted, "In a world where alternatives to IVF are plentiful, it is unacceptable that this year's NDAA made the American people liable financially for the expansion of this life destroying practice. Despite two of my amendments being included, its utter failure to give voices to the voiceless is sickening."

"Whether an egg is fertilized inside or outside of the womb, LIFE BEGINS AT CONCEPTION! The number of CHILDREN murdered through IVF embryo destruction every year is DOUBLE the number of abortions performed by Planned Parenthood. Where are the Pro Life groups?" Rosendale tweeted.

GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene pushed an amendment to the NDAA that would have stipulated that no "funds made available by this Act may be used for assistance to Ukraine." But the House torpedoed the amendment in a 74-343 vote.

House Armed Services Committee Chair Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama (R) said that nothing in the measure authorizes aid for Ukraine but that the amendment would cut off funding for Marines to protect the U.S. embassy in Kyiv and cut the Defense Department's ability to monitor weapons systems America has given to the Eastern European nation.

"If the NDAA isn't authorizing funding for Ukraine, then my amendment to explicitly prohibit it would have passed. But the Ukraine over America caucus in the House knows money is going to be authorized, so they blocked my amendment. Ukraine funding is in the NDAA, but this time they tried to trick members of Congress into thinking it wasn't. It's ridiculous and insulting to every American taxpayer," Greene tweeted.

The House's National Defense Authorization Act will likely fail to clear the Senate chamber.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer blasted the measure, declaring in a post on X, "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. We will have to work together to pass a bipartisan NDAA that honors and respects all who serve in defense of our nation."

House Speaker Mike Johnson said in a statement, "This year's NDAA will refocus our military on its core mission of defending America and its interests across the globe, fund the deployment of the National Guard to the southwest border, expedite innovation and reduce the acquisition timeline for new weaponry, support our allies, and strengthen our nuclear posture and missile defense programs."

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