GOP bill bans military abortions, transgender care, diversity work
By Leo Shane III
Wednesday, Jun 14
This story was updated at 4 p.m. EDT.
All abortion assistance for troops would be banned, all transgender medical care ended, and all diversity and extremism training blocked under the defense appropriations plan unveiled by House Republicans on Wednesday.
The move came just one day after GOP leaders advanced similar legislation to block abortion and transgender care at Veterans Affairs facilities through their veterans programs budget bill. The Defense Department restrictions drew immediate condemnation from Democratic officials, who called the provisions “extremist” and “disturbing.”
The budget bill — scheduled to be debated behind closed doors by the House Appropriations panel on Thursday and publicly later this month — calls for $826.5 billion in defense spending for fiscal 2024, at roughly the levels agreed upon by White House negotiators and House Republican leaders earlier this month.
It also includes a 5.2% pay raise for all troops next year and a pay boost of more than 30% for some junior enlisted troops, provisions that have been hailed by lawmakers on both sides of the political spectrum.
https://www.airforcetimes.com/management/budget/2023/06/14/budget-bill-bans-military-abortions-transgender-care-diversity-work/
