House Democrats are not planning on taking a unified stance on the annual defense authorization bill, but party leaders have indicated that proposed amendments to undo Pentagon abortion policies are likely to become a deal breaker for many in the caucus.
The House is aiming to hold a vote on the National Defense Authorization Act by the end of this week, seeking to advance the must-pass legislation ahead of its looming expiration deadline later this year. However, an emerging fight over additional amendments proposed by conservatives has snarled its progress despite the bill historically passing through both chambers of Congress each year without much fanfare or drama.
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One disagreement that could derail talks over the NDAA is the recently implemented Pentagon policy that allows service members to take up to three weeks of leave to travel out of state to receive an abortion and other “noncovered reproductive healthcare services.” The policy also states the DOD will reimburse members for any expenses related to that travel.
Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX) introduced an amendment to overturn that policy, garnering the support of nearly 50 Republican co-sponsors. Should that amendment advance the House and make its way into the full NDAA, it could cause several Democrats to withdraw their support — which could tank the entire measure.
“There’s a number of poison pill policy riders that would be deeply troubling to the House Democratic Caucus,” Chairman Pete Aguilar (D-CA) said. “I think one deeply problematic [rider] for the House Democratic Caucus would be the Tommy Tuberville-type of language restricting women from receiving leave in order to receive healthcare. That one is deeply problematic, and if it was included, I think it would be as close to a red line as I think we're willing to discuss.”
It’s not clear whether that amendment will advance to the floor because the House Rules Committee has not finalized its markup of the full defense measure. However, GOP leaders have indicated it’s likely to advance because several rank-and-file Republicans have accused the Biden administration of using the Defense Department to push its own agenda.
Democrats have expressed concerns with a number of other measures that could be included in the NDAA, including proposed restrictions on diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, as well as those that seek increased protections for those in the LGBT community.
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“Each and every time, Kevin McCarthy decides to listen to the most extreme members of his party who want to have riders that will disrupt the process rather than have a bipartisan process,” Aguilar said.
The most recent iteration of the NDAA, an annual legislative bill that outlines the policy agenda and budget for the Department of Defense, is set to expire at the end of the fiscal year. That gives Congress until the end of September to renew its provisions, sending lawmakers into a scramble as they seek to advance legislation before they adjourn for the August recess.