National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (NDAA 2025) is a proposed United States federal law which will specify the budget, expenditures, and policies of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) for fiscal year 2025.[1][2]

Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025
Great Seal of the United States
Acronyms (colloquial)NDAA
Legislative history

Background

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The National Defense Authorization Act is an annual bill proposed in the United States Congress that redefines the United States military budget for the following fiscal year. Each chamber of Congress introduces a version of the NDAA: for 2025, H.R. 8070 in the House; on June 14, the Senate Armed Services Committee approved the Senate version of the bill in a 22–3 vote, although the full text of the Senate bill has not yet been publicly released.[3][4] Committee Chairman Jack Reed (DRI) voted against the bill, due to disagreement with the decision to increase defense spending $25 billion over the budget cap established by the Fiscal Responsibility Act; Elizabeth Warren (DMA) and Tom Cotton (RAR) joined Reed in voting against the bill. The $25 billion spending increase over the cap was due to an amendment introduced by its Ranking Member, Roger Wicker (RMI).[4]

History

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On May 22, the House Armed Services Committee approved its version of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, by a 57–1 vote.[5] As passed by the Committee, the bill included the Pentagon's controversial "Legislative Proposal 480", transferring Air National Guard space units to the Space Force; however, the Committee accepted an amendment proposed by Joe Wilson (RSC), watering down the Pentagon's proposal by adding a requirement for gubernatorial consent to any such transfers.[5]

Republican amendments

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On June 14, the United States House of Representatives passed the US$895 billion defense spending bill in a 217–199 vote, with several added socially conservative amendments made by House Republicans that Speaker of the House Mike Johnson approved in order to prevent any hardline Republicans from blocking the bill.[6] All but six House Democrats opposed the bill, while only three House Republicans opposed the bill. Many Democrats criticized the changes and the House Republicans for using the mandatory defense bill to push forward divisive, partisan agendas.

The amendments would block funding to gender-affirming care for transgender members of the United States Armed Forces,[3] for military diversity, equity, and inclusion programs,[3] climate change efforts, and for any future efforts to help bring Palestinian refugees to the United States. The amendments also planned to block an earlier policy that would reimburse travel for troops needing reproductive care or abortions,[3] and planned to defund the Gaza floating pier.

A White House spokesperson condemned the amendments as prioritizing GOP politics over the safety and needs of US troops, and called it "an unserious effort" that would not pass the Senate without several amendments being removed or altered.[7]

References

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  1. ^ Erwin, Sandra (May 23, 2024). "House Armed Services Committee advances 2025 defense policy bill". SpaceNews. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  2. ^ Marrow, Michael; Roque, Ashley; Katz, Justin; Hitchens, Theresa (May 23, 2024). "HASC greenlights draft NDAA, sends $883B bill to full House". Breaking Defense. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Erwin, Sandra (June 15, 2024). "Senate Armed Services Committee advances 2025 defense policy bill". SpaceNews. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Insinna, Valerie; Marrow, Michael (June 14, 2024). "SASC breaks spending cap by $25 billion in FY25 defense policy bill". Breaking Defense. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Mitchell, Ellen (May 24, 2024). "Here's what's in the mammoth $883.7B Defense bill passed by the House". The Hill. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  6. ^ Schnell, Mychael; Mitchell, Ellen (June 14, 2024). "House GOP approves mammoth annual defense bill with culture war amendments". The Hill.
  7. ^ O'Brien, Connor (June 14, 2024). "House Republicans narrowly pass defense bill loaded with culture war issues". Politico. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
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