The Senate overwhelmingly approved the $895 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2025, despite significant criticism. The bill includes controversial provisions banning gender-affirming care for children of service members and prohibiting the Pentagon from citing Gaza casualty figures from the Gaza Ministry of Health. Opponents decried the bill’s high cost and argued that these provisions prioritize political agendas over the well-being of service members and their families. Advocates are urging President Biden to veto the NDAA, which they contend is the first federal legislation restricting access to medically necessary healthcare for transgender adolescents.
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The House passed the $895 billion 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes a pay raise for service members and significant military funding for Israel. However, the NDAA also incorporates restrictive measures barring the use of Department of Defense funds for gender-affirming care, including surgeries and hormone therapy for minors. These provisions, found in Sections 708 and 709, are based on misleading claims about the effects of such treatments. Despite the bill’s controversial elements, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries allowed a member-by-member vote, resulting in bipartisan support for its passage.
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A last-minute amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) would eliminate TRICARE coverage for gender-affirming care for transgender children of military families. This provision, deceptively framed as preventing sterilization, targets medically necessary care like puberty blockers and hormone therapy, not surgeries which are rarely performed on minors. The amendment has drawn sharp criticism from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups and some Democrats, who argue it jeopardizes the well-being of military families and recruitment efforts. The fate of the provision hinges on a potential Democratic-Republican coalition to remove it from the bill.
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Senator Sanders opposes the nearly $850 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025, citing the excessive military spending while many Americans face economic hardship. He highlights the potential for “disastrous misplaced power” within the military-industrial complex, echoing Eisenhower’s warnings. Sanders points to rampant fraud, waste, and cost overruns within the defense industry, citing examples of major contractors’ overcharging and fines. The NDAA’s passage remains uncertain, though opposition is expected less due to the budget size and more because of controversial provisions targeting transgender healthcare for minors.
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John Q. Hosedrinker