Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026

Floor Speech

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Ms. STANSBURY. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

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Ms. STANSBURY. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition today to this amendment and in defense of our Nation's servicemembers.

Our ranking member and the chairman have negotiated a bipartisan NDAA, which invests in military pay raises, quality of life, and many important aspects for military readiness. We should be focused on that in the National Defense Authorization Act, not another amendment bullying trans people.

If you ever needed proof that trans folks live rent free in the minds of my GOP colleagues, then look no further than this amendment because there are literally no known and out transgender people serving in our academies right now because of the transgender military ban.

So what is this amendment all about?

The GOP obsession with bullying trans people is weird. It is invasive. It is abusive. It is discriminatory, and it is dangerous to our military readiness.

I want to remind my colleagues that words have power. You are standing in one of the most powerful institutions not only in the United States but in the world, and my colleagues are using this platform to bully a population that is vulnerable here in the United States.

I have to say: If my colleagues across the aisle are so genuinely concerned about the well-being of women who are serving in the military and sexual violence, how about actually addressing that and the 45 percent of women who have reported that they have been sexually harassed just last year alone? Dare I say: If my Republican colleagues are concerned about sexual violence and deviance, how about they release the Epstein files? How about that?

This amendment reflects a sustained, targeted, villainization of the trans community and the LGBTQ+ community that continues day after day on this floor.

The trans community represents only about 1 percent of the population, as we understand it, but you wouldn't actually think that listening to this Chamber because they are spending time that we should be talking about military readiness and our national security to bully trans people at our service academies.

This has nothing to do with service to this great Nation or our national security. I say to my colleagues: Let's get back to work on behalf of the American people and defeat this disgusting and hateful amendment.

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Ms. STANSBURY. Bonamici).

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Ms. STANSBURY. Mr. Speaker, I remind us that we are here to talk about the National Defense Authorization Act and to stand with our servicemembers who proudly signed up to serve this great Nation. We will continue to stand with our servicemembers.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

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Ms. STANSBURY. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

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