Rep. Carbajal Statement on 2025 Defense Bill
Washington,
December 11, 2024
Today, Congressman Salud Carbajal (CA-24) issued the following statement on his vote on the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act:
"The NDAA has been a product of diligent bipartisan negotiations for decades. This year, it largely continues that legacy – with one frustrating exception. This NDAA has a lot of good – from a record pay raise for enlisted servicemembers to provisions I fought for, like a bill to improve housing for military families. "But just as with other routine bills this Congress, Republicans couldn't resist returning to their culture wars. Republican leaders inserted a poison pill that continues both the far right's witchhunt of transgender individuals and its obsession with intervening in health care decisions that should stay between a family and their doctor. This blanket health care ban has no place in this bill. "I am vehemently opposed to this provision. I am severely frustrated at its inclusion at this late hour after months of negotiations had removed other similar attempts to turn a defense bill into a culture war bonanza – including similar poison pills that would have targeted women's health care and endangered our military readiness. "And while I could not in good conscience vote against a bill that in most ways still reflects those months of negotiations, this is a disappointing bad faith attempt to divide Congress while working on an issue that should be as nonpartisan as possible: supporting those who defend our nation with their service and their lives." |
