House approves amendment to block money for abortions of service members

The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed several amendments to the annual National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA. One amendment introduced by Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, would block a Biden administration policy requiring the Defense Department to give service members leave and travel allowances to have abortions. The Pentagon issued the policy in 2022.

Representatives are expected to vote on the NDAA on Friday. The act would authorize more than $880 billion in military spending.

Who supported the measure? All but two Republican representatives voted in favor of the amendment on Thursday. Reps. John Duarte, R-Calif., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., voted against the measure, while Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, was the only Democrat to support the amendment. The Republican Study Committee earlier this month adopted a position of support for Van Duyne’s amendment and the National Right to Life Committee urged representatives to vote in favor of the issue.

What other amendments did representatives pass? The House also passed an amendment to prevent the Pentagon from paying for transgender medical interventions for service members. Representatives also approved a measure to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion-related offices and freeze hiring for those jobs. An amendment introduced by Rep. Brian Higgins, R-N.Y., aims to remove the chief diversity officer position. 

Dig deeper: Read Carolina Lumetta’s report in The Stew about how Senator Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., relaxed his protest of the Pentagon abortion policy.