Leaders of the conservative House Freedom Caucus indicated Friday that they’ll support an annual defense budget bill on the House floor, providing a huge boost to Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and GOP leaders as they scramble to rally enough support to move the must-pass package to the Senate later this week.
Freedom Caucus conservatives had balked at an initial, bipartisan version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed through the Armed Services Committee last month by an overwhelming 58 to 1 vote. Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), the group’s chairman, called that bill “untenable.”
But the approval of a series of conservative amendments on Thursday — including measures to curb Pentagon policies on abortion and transgender rights — has invigorated the group’s members, who strongly suggested they will support the package when it hits the floor Friday morning.
“It has improved dramatically,” Perry told reporters in the Capitol Friday morning, shortly before the scheduled vote.
Support from the Freedom Caucus will be critical for McCarthy as GOP leaders move to pass the bill on Friday after House Democratic leaders said that their caucus will oppose the bill over the conservative culture war amendments approved on Thursday. A lack of support from Democrats, left McCarthy with little room for GOP defections given the Republicans’ slim majority.
A history of Freedom Caucus members voting against the NDAA in previous years made the path forward without Democrats unclear. But conservative leaders appearing satisfied by additions on social issues is clearing the way.
The House Freedom Caucus is not taking an official position in support of the bill, Perry said, noting that amendments were still being considered Friday morning and that “there’s always going to be concerns.”
But a number of members of the group, echoing Perry, signaled they’ll back the bill. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) cited the “major victories” on Thursday.
Still, final passage is hardly a slam dunk.
Some members of the Freedom Caucus, such as Rep. Eli Craine (R-Ariz.), said on Thursday night that they were leaning against voting for the bill. And Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who was recently booted from the group, said she intends to oppose the NDAA package after several of her amendments to block Ukraine funding were shot down on the floor on Thursday.