The House on Wednesday passed a $147 billion spending bill for Veterans Affairs and military construction but lost most Democratic support because it axed climate change and woke policies.
The bill passed in a near party-line 209-197 vote with two Republicans, Reps. Matt Rosendale of Montana and Tom McClintock of California joined Democrats in opposition.
Just four Democrats crossed the aisle to back the VA spending: Reps. Jared Golden of Maine, Vicente Gonzalez Jr. of Texas, Mary Peltola of Alaska and Marie Gluesenkamp-Perez of Washington.
Republicans touted a series of policy and funding wins in the bill, including funding veterans healthcare and other benefits and allocating billions for nearly a dozen major military construction projects, military family housing and bolstering the military’s presence in the Indo-Pacific region.
It was the first of the dozen spending measures Congress must pass to fund the government in fiscal 2025, which begins Oct. 1.
House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole said the bill hit the spending levels outlined in last year’s debt ceiling deal while spending $400 million more on defense than President Biden’s 2025 budget request.
“We can, and must, direct our taxpayer dollars to our most important priorities, and today’s bill succeeds in that goal,” said Mr. Cole, Oklahoma Republican.
The measure, much to Democrats’ chagrin, would also kill or weaken many of Mr. Biden’s policies. It would halt funding to advance critical race theory and prohibit the enforcement of diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
It also nixes funding to prepare military installations against rising sea levels, flooding and other impacts of climate change, and rolled back $100 million in funding that helps military bases recover from natural disasters.
The bill limits abortion access and counseling for female veterans by prohibiting taxpayer dollars for abortion services. It also would halt funding for sex-change procedures or transgender care.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the spending panel, said that the GOP was “taking us down an already well-trodden path towards chaos, division, and shutdown threats.”
The litany of policy riders all but guarantees the bill is dead on arrival in the Democrat-led Senate.
The Biden administration’s Office of Management and Budget said last week that stripping or weakening woke policies would have “devastating consequences” for veteran women, members of the LGBTQ community and the fight against climate change.
A veto threat from Mr. Biden is expected.
Still, the threat of a repeat of policy clashes with Democrats that snarled 2024 spending didn’t faze House Republicans, who have vowed to pass all 12 spending bills by August.
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, who chairs the State and Foreign Operations spending subcommittee, told The Washington Times that he was not worried about the White House’s threats, particularly because Mr. Biden has a history of inconsistency with vetoes.
“Biden is consistent in his inconsistency. He’s threatened vetoes before and then has actually signed the bills,” the Florida Republican said. “We have to do what we think is right for the country. And obviously, you hope that the President would do the right thing.”
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.