The House approved a significant legislative measure on Wednesday, authorizing an $895 billion defense budget that includes a 1% increase in defense expenditures for the current fiscal year. This bill also promises a substantial pay raise for roughly half of the enlisted members in the military, ensuring they receive a double-digit increase in their paychecks.
Although this type of bill usually garners broad bipartisan support, it faced opposition from some Democratic representatives due to a provision that prohibits transgender medical treatments for the children of military personnel if such treatments could lead to sterilization. The House passed the bill with a decisive vote of 281-140 and it is now on its way to the Senate, where some lawmakers are pushing for a larger defense budget than what is currently proposed.
Key components of the bill include a 14.5% pay increase for junior enlisted members and a 4.5% increase for other service members, seen as essential for enhancing the living conditions of those serving in the armed forces. Legislators emphasized that military compensation has not kept pace with private sector salaries, leading many military families to rely on food banks and public assistance for their daily needs. Additionally, the bill allocates significant funds for child care services and housing improvements.
Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., who chairs the House Armed Services Committee, expressed that no service member should have to endure poor living conditions or rely on food assistance. He argued that this legislation is a substantial step towards rectifying these issues.
The bill outlines essential Pentagon policies that Congress aims to fund through a subsequent appropriations bill. This spending aligns with an agreement made in 2023 between former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden, which extended the nation’s borrowing limit and aimed to prevent a federal funding crisis while imposing budget limitations. Many senators had advocated for an additional $25 billion in defense spending, which ultimately did not materialize.
Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who is likely to become the next chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, remarked that the agreed-upon spending level is a significant setback for national defense, even while he supports many of the bill’s individual provisions. He asserted that there is a pressing need for a generational investment to deter aggressive international actions.
House Republicans are committed to adhering to the McCarthy-Biden agreement for defense allocations while seeking to reduce funding for numerous non-defense programs. They are also aiming to focus on cultural issues. The legislation bars funding for critical race theory education within the military and prohibits TRICARE health plans from covering gender dysphoria treatments for minors if such treatments could lead to sterilization.
Rep. Adam Smith, a ranking Democrat from Washington, emphasized that gender dysphoria among youth is a serious concern. He noted that treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy have been effective in alleviating severe mental health issues for many young individuals.
Smith pointed out that thousands of minors within military families have accessed transgender medical care and suggested that a study on the usage of such treatments would have been a better approach rather than an outright ban. However, he criticized the insistence on the ban by Speaker Mike Johnson’s office as detracting from an otherwise commendable piece of legislation.
Rep. Chip Roy, a Republican from Texas, defended the ban as a necessary measure, arguing that the discussion around these social issues detracts from the primary objective of national defense. Meanwhile, Smith concurred with Roy’s sentiment that lawmakers should prioritize military matters over cultural debates but noted the contradiction presented by this bill.
Branden Marty, a Navy veteran of 13 years, warned that the exclusion of transgender medical treatments from health coverage could lead valuable service members to leave the military, further complicating recruitment and retention challenges. He expressed concern that financial pressures could force service members to make difficult choices daily, especially those who are already vulnerable to food insecurity.
House Democratic Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries stated that his party was not directing how its members should vote on the bill, acknowledging both its positive aspects and concerning provisions. In total, 81 Democrats voted in favor, while 124 opposed it. Among the Republicans, 200 supported it, while 16 were against it.
Johnson remarked on the disappointment of seeing a substantial number of Democrats opposing the bill, stating that it concerns policies unrelated to its primary mission. The defense policy legislation also includes measures aimed at bolstering deterrence against China, with a proposed investment of $15.6 billion to enhance military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region—higher than the Biden administration’s request of about $10 billion.
Additionally, the bill promotes expanded U.S. military collaboration with Israel, including joint exercises, while prohibiting the Pentagon from citing casualty figures from Hamas. This legislation is considered one of the final crucial tasks for lawmakers as they prepare for a new congressional session in January.
