The House of Representatives will vote this week on the National Defense Authorization Act—the annual defense budgeting bill that authorizes programs and sets spending goals.
“This year’s National Defense Authorization Act helps advance President [Donald] Trump and Republicans’ Peace Through Strength Agenda by codifying 15 of President Trump’s executive orders, ending woke ideology at the Pentagon, securing the border, revitalizing the defense industrial base, and restoring the warrior ethos,” Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., said in a statement on the bill.
House Republican Leadership aides told reporters Sunday evening that they will move with haste to pass the bill through their chamber and hand it on to the Senate. Congress will soon break for its Christmas-time recess, but NDAAs, commonly referred to as “must-pass” legislation, historically pass with strong, bipartisan majorities.
Both chambers have previously passed their own versions of the NDAA, and the text is a compromise between the two.
The topline spending number set in the bill is $8 billion above the White House’s budget request and includes some major conservative wins.
The conservative wins in the NDAA include a 4% pay raise for enlisted service members, ending “authorizations for use of military force” for previous Middle East wars, and a prohibition on programs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, as well as critical race theory.
Wins also came in the form of provisions left out of the bill, such as an artificial intelligence regulation moratorium and language that would have expanded IVF coverage.
Ending AUMFs
One of the major changes is the repeal of the 1991 and 2002 “authorizations for use of military force” (AUMFs). In 1991, Congress voted to authorize the military’s use of force in the Gulf War, and in 2002, they voted to allow the military to use force against Iraq again.
The bill does not affect the 2001 AUMF, which enabled the military to use force against the perpetrators of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.
Congress Asserts Authority Over Troop Levels
The bill also includes provisions that would make it more difficult for the administration to withdraw troops without Congress’ approval.
The Pentagon would not be allowed to reduce the number of active troops stationed in Europe below 76,000 for longer than a 45-day period unless it has certified to Congress that it is in the best interest of the United States and the decision has been reached after consultation with NATO allies.
Middle East Policy Changes
Another major change in foreign policy is the repeal of the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019, which sanctioned Syria’s government for war crimes.
This action is favorable to the new Syrian government, headed by Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda member making overtures to Western powers.
However, it does require regular reports from the White House on whether the Syrian government is combating terrorism or is committing human rights abuses.
Justice for Arctic Frost?
Additionally, it includes a provision requiring that the FBI notify Congress if it conducts investigations into candidates for federal office.
This provision, a priority of Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., was previously set to be excluded from the bill, but the language was included after Stefanik discussed it with the speaker and Trump.
What’s Not in the Bill?
The bill does not include language that would prohibit the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency, although leadership had previously told House Freedom Caucus members that this would be included as part of the defense bill.
House Republican leadership aides explained Sunday that there were disagreements over the implementation of anti-CBDC language—leading the ban to not to be included in the bill—but that it remains a priority for House Republican leadership.
The bill leaves out rumored language discouraging states’ regulation of artificial intelligence, as well.
Additionally, the bill does not include an expansion of coverage of in vitro fertilization for servicemembers.
Including IVF language has been pushed by Democrats, such as Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.
Last week, a spokesperson said that Johnson is “supportive of access to IVF when sufficient pro-life protections are in place, and he will continue to be supportive when it is done responsibly and ethically.”
IVF treatment often involves the freezing and destruction of human embryos.
