House Republicans Pass Divisive Defense Bill that Reduces America's Readiness

Press Release

"Republicans have once again injected their own beliefs into the deeply personal health decisions of women -- in a defense bill, no less. The majority has renewed their attacks on the LGBTQ+ community, passing judgment on who they love rather than on their love of country. They have sought to cut vital civilian support positions at a time the Department is struggling to meet its readiness goals. And it would not be a Republican bill without a ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Some dare lament our military's emphasis on diversity and inclusion. I have news for anyone who shares those sympathies -- diversity of background and culture is, and has long been the preeminent strength of our nation's military. To paraphrase Under Secretary of Defense Mike McCord, should the entire burden of budget cuts fall on the non-defense discretionary agencies, the cuts would still harm our security and defense capabilities. No single agency could succeed in a vacuum, and deep cuts to any one agency would undermine our government's broader efforts. I come from a defense state -- I understand the importance of investing in our national defense. But this bill does not advance our national defense. It does, however, harm our readiness, undermine morale, and fail to support our men and women in the armed services, and for those reasons, I do not support this bill."

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