Sightful Invest
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Politics
  • Stock
Top Posts
Comey to be arraigned in federal court after...
Comey pleads not guilty in court after indictment...
Houthi rebels test US ceasefire with deadly strike...
Kushner joins Witkoff for Gaza ceasefire talks as...
Cuomo rips Mamdani’s freebie ‘fantasy,’ says AOC proved...
White House escalates shutdown consequences as Democrats show...
Moderate Dem undercuts Jeffries on ObamaCare compromise as...
MIKE DAVIS: The Supreme Court betrayed again —...
Senate Democrats defy White House warnings, again block...
Greta Thunberg slammed for using image of starved...
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Politics
  • Stock

Sightful Invest

Politics

Senate advances NDAA, teeing up final passage for annual defense policy bill

by admin December 17, 2024
December 17, 2024
Senate advances NDAA, teeing up final passage for annual defense policy bill

The Senatevoted to advance its annual $895 billion defense policy bill, a signal that the legislation is on track to pass despite Democratic grumblings over a transgender care provision.

A vote to invoke cloture, or pass an agreement to limit debate, on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed the Senate 63 to 7 on Monday evening. The bill now heads to a final vote later this week.

The legislation passed the House last week 281-140, with 16 Republicans voting no. Only 81 Democrats voted yes – 124 voting no – a much larger margin than in years passed when the legislation typically enjoyed bipartisan support. 

The 1,800-page bill details how $895.2 billion allocated toward defense and national security will be spent. It will be voted on more than two months after the start of the fiscal year. 

The $895.2 billion represents a 1% increase over last year’s budget, a smaller number than some defense hawks would have liked. 

A significant portion of the legislation focused on quality-of-life improvements for service members amid record recruitment issues, a focus of much bipartisan discussion over the last year. That includes a 14.5% pay increase for junior enlisted troops and increasing access to child care for service members while also providing job support to military spouses.

The measure authorizes a 4.5% across-the-board pay raise for all service members starting Jan. 1. 

The NDAA typically enjoys wide bipartisan support, but this year’s focus on eliminating ‘woke’ policies was hard for some Democrats to stomach. 

The policy proposal to prohibit Tricare, the military’s health care provider, from covering transgender services for the minor dependents of service members has raised concerns, prompting the leading Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, to reconsider his support for the bill.

‘Blanketly denying health care to people who clearly need it, just because of a biased notion against transgender people, is wrong,’ he said in a statement. ‘This provision injected a level of partisanship not traditionally seen in defense bills.’

The goal of that provision is to prevent any ‘medical interventions that could result in sterilization’ of minors.

Other provisions, like a blanket ban on funding for gender transition surgeries for adults, did not make their way into the bill, neither did a ban on requiring masks to prevent the spread of diseases. 

The bill also supports deploying the National Guard to the southern border to help with illegal immigrant apprehensions and drug flow. 

Another provision opens the door to allowing airmen and Space Force personnel to grow facial hair; it directs the secretary of the Air Force to brief lawmakers on ‘the feasibility and advisability’ of establishing a pilot program to test out allowing beards. 

Democrats are also upset the bill did not include a provision expanding access to IVF for service members. Currently, military health care only covers IVF for troops whose infertility is linked to service-related illness or injury.

But the bill did not include an amendment to walk back a provision allowing the Pentagon to reimburse service members who have to travel out of state to get an abortion.

The bill extends a hiring freeze on DEI-related roles and stops all such recruitment until ‘an investigation of the Pentagon’s DEI programs’ can be completed.

It also bans the Defense Department from contracting with advertising companies ‘that blacklist conservative news sources,’ according to an internal GOP memo.

The memo said the NDAA also guts funding for the Biden administration’s ‘Countering Extremist Activity Working Group’ dedicated to rooting out extremism in the military’s ranks. The annual defense policy bill also does not authorize ‘any climate change programs’ and prohibits the Pentagon from issuing climate impact-based guidance on weapons systems.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., touted $31 billion in savings in the legislation that would come from cutting ‘inefficient programs, obsolete weapons, and bloated Pentagon bureaucracy.’

The compromise NDAA bill, negotiated between Republican and Democrat leadership, sets policy for the nation’s largest government agency, but a separate defense spending bill must be passed to allocate funds for such programs.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

previous post
Trump unveils picks for his future ambassadors to Japan, Austria and other countries: ‘PUT AMERICA FIRST’
next post
Trump says Biden admin ‘knows what is happening’ on drones

You may also like

Trump revokes John Bolton’s Secret Service detail amid...

January 22, 2025

Deadline for Musk’s ultimatum to federal workers hits,...

February 25, 2025

VP-elect JD Vance to hold meetings between Gaetz,...

November 20, 2024

Oprah town hall cost Harris campaign far more...

November 18, 2024

Law enforcement brace as anti-Israel groups vow to...

August 15, 2024

Trump flips border county that hasn’t voted for...

November 8, 2024

Fani Willis ordered to pay $54K for violating...

March 18, 2025

Still a no: Rand Paul says $5T debt...

June 3, 2025

Biden’s ex-chief of staff arrives for House Oversight...

September 18, 2025

Biden takes jab at Trump while applauding Jimmy...

December 30, 2024

Recent Posts

  • Comey to be arraigned in federal court after being indicted for alleged false statements, obstruction
  • Comey pleads not guilty in court after indictment on alleged false statements, obstruction
  • Houthi rebels test US ceasefire with deadly strike on cargo ship
  • Kushner joins Witkoff for Gaza ceasefire talks as Trump pushes peace plan: ‘Cautiously optimistic’
  • Cuomo rips Mamdani’s freebie ‘fantasy,’ says AOC proved socialism fails after killing NYC Amazon deal

    Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest insights, updates, and exclusive content straight to your inbox! Whether it's industry news, expert advice, or inspiring stories, we bring you valuable information that you won't find anywhere else. Stay connected with us!


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Categories

    • Business (936)
    • Investing (3,147)
    • Politics (3,845)
    • Stock (4)
    • About us
    • Contact us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: sightfulinvest.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 Sightful Invest. All Rights Reserved.