Capital District Times

Historically bipartisan legislation meant to support service members scrapped by GOP in favor of attacking American freedoms

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Paul D. Tonko today voted against the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that House Republicans used to force through extreme, partisan issues that undermine national security, strip women in uniform of access to health care, and target LGBTQ+ servicemembers.

“The National Defense Authorization Act has long served as a bipartisan bill displaying the strong commitment of Congress to our brave men and women in uniform, to our nation’s security, and to maintaining our leadership abroad. What we got instead this year was Republicans playing politics,” Congressman Tonko said. “Republicans turned what is meant to be a resounding investment in our service members into a far-right wish list that promotes LGBTQ+ discrimination, blocks climate action, and denies service women access to abortion care. I will never vote for a bill that sabotages diversity initiatives and weakens access to health care.”

Tonko continued, “I stand ready and willing to come to the table to negotiate a bill that protects our national security and defends our freedoms. It is my sincere hope that Republicans join in our push to support our service members and military families, rather than playing politics and shoving through a bill only interested in inciting culture wars.”

Several of the Republican-led amendments included in the NDAA would:

• Prohibit the Secretary of Defense from paying for or reimbursing expenses relating to abortion services
• Prohibit pride flags from being displayed in any work place, common access area, or public area of the Department of Defense
• Ban coverage of gender-affirming care—specifically gender-affirming surgeries and hormone therapy—for servicemembers
• Prohibit DOD from carrying out President Biden's climate change executive orders
• Prohibit federal funds from being used to establish a position within DOD for anything similar to Chief Diversity Officers or Senior Advisors for Diversity and Inclusion

Original source can be found here.