$886 Billion Defense Bill Is Indefensible, Reprehensible
WASHIGNTON, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives today passed an $886 billion National Defense Authorization Act, a $28 billion increase from FY 23, which includes provisions to restrict access to abortion and transgender care for military members. Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen, released the following statement:
“In a pathetic demonstration of subservience to the military-industrial complex, House Republicans – who allegedly care about lessening government spending – refused to allow consideration of an amendment by U.S. Reps. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) to cut Pentagon spending by $100 billion.
“This move blocked debates over the enormous waste in the proposed $886 billion Pentagon budget, over funding ships that don’t sail safely and fighter jets that aren’t mission ready, on the insanity of a war-fighting budget that is greater than all discretionary domestic spending combined, and on the merits of the U.S. spending more on its military than the next 10 countries combined.
“Instead, Republicans railed against imaginary problems in their knee-jerk effort to turn every policy debate into a culture war clash, trampling on the rights of women, trans people, and people of color. A morally reprehensible performance all around.”