EC Virginia News

Representative Rob Wittman (R-VA 1) has been named to the House and Senate conference committee that will craft the 2024 National Defense Reauthorization Act (NDAA), the bill that funds America's military. However, the House has been without a speaker, and conflict has broken out in Israel after a brutal terrorist attack by Hamas sparked a war between Israel and the terrorist group.

Now that a new speaker, Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA), has been elected, Wittman and the other members of the committee will have to decide whether to adopt the House version of the bill, which focuses on key defense spending, or the Senate version, which includes controversial social spending.

The Senate version of the bill includes millions of dollars in controversial social spending, such as reimbursing abortion travel, paying for gender reassignment surgeries, drag shows at military bases, and so-called racial equity training. Wittman has been a vocal supporter of the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal funding from going to pay for abortions and abortion-related services.

According to CNN, the conflict in Israel has resulted in a death toll of more than 1,400 people, including at least 30 Americans. Hamas is currently holding at least 155 hostages, according to the Israeli Defense Force. Israeli soldiers have reported witnessing the aftermath of horrific violence, including the bodies of beheaded infants. 

The House version included several provisions that would eliminate all Pentagon Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs and personnel, block military school libraries from purchasing or possessing “pornographic and radical gender ideology books,” and bar the DOD and DOD health programs from covering gender reassignment procedures.

The House version also includes the Jackson-Roy amendment, which prevents the DOD from reimbursing service members for abortion-related expenses, and an amendment that codifies a ban on drag shows on military bases and prohibits DOD funding for such performances, according to the Hill.

Also included and passed in the House bill were several amendments from Congressman Jim Banks whose office referred to the Banks amendments as “anti-woke amendments.” The Banks amendments included a provision to suspend the Navy’s Digital Ambassador Program, which had been using drag queen videos as part of their recruitment efforts.

According to the NY Post, Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley, who performs drag under the name Harpy Daniels, was chosen by the Navy as one of its first “Digital Ambassadors.” The “Digital Ambassador” program included 5 active duty personnel and was designed to help boost recruitment efforts.

The so-called “anti-woke” Banks amendments also took on racial quotas in admissions to service academies as well as DOD policies related to promotions and assignments. According to a release on Banks’ website, the Banks amendments would eliminate racial discrimination and quotas in admissions for Military academies, like West Point, and would further require the DOD to issue policy that all military accessions, assignments, selections, or promotions must be decided based on merit and also prohibits any quotas being assigned to applicant pools.

A survey conducted by the Heritage Foundation found that 68% of active service members witnessed some level of politicization in the military, and 65% expressed concern about this development.

With Rep. Mike Johnson now elected as the House speaker, the House and Senate have until November 17th to pass a series of spending bills, including the NDAA, according to CBS News. 

The decision on whether to adopt the House or Senate version of the NDAA will have significant implications for defense spending and controversial social issues. Wittman and the other members of the conference committee will need to carefully consider the priorities and potential consequences of their decision.