Shocking $895 Billion Military Bill Passed, Outrages Working-Class Families!

The U.S. Senate approved an $895 billion military spending bill on Wednesday, attracting strong criticism for what many see as misdirected fiscal priorities and contentious clauses, including a prohibition on gender-affirming healthcare for military personnel’s children and a block on the Pentagon from using casualty numbers from the Gaza Ministry of Health.

The vote for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the fiscal year 2025 ended with 85 senators in favor and 14 against. The senators who opposed the bill were Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). Senator JD Vance (R-Ohio), the vice president-elect, abstained from voting.

Bernie Sanders voiced his concerns earlier in the month, stating, “It’s unnecessary to allocate nearly a trillion dollars to military expenses when over half a million Americans are homeless and children are starving.”

The anti-war organization CodePink expressed its disappointment over the Senate’s approval of the NDAA, criticizing the near trillion-dollar allocation to military spending while vital domestic needs like healthcare, education, and housing are underfunded.

“Half of this budget will end up in the coffers of private military contractors through weapon contracts and deals,” CodePink remarked. “Despite the huge budget, the Pentagon has consistently failed to pass an audit. This pattern of poor accountability and transparency continues with this budget.”

CodePink added, “This budget is a massive insult to working-class families who are already struggling to survive.”

An attempt on Monday by Baldwin, backed by two dozen Democratic colleagues, to strike down a provision that denied military parents the right to access essential healthcare for their transgender children, did not succeed.

During a speech on the Senate floor, Baldwin criticized certain members of Congress for undermining the commitment to military personnel by prioritizing political gains over rights, stating, “We’re discussing the right of parents in uniform to consult with their family doctors to provide necessary healthcare for their transgender children. Some have tainted this bill and turned their backs on our service members and the citizens we represent.”

Olivia Hunt, the director of federal policy at Advocates for Trans Equality, commented on Wednesday that “all military families deserve respect and access to needed healthcare without political interference.”

Hunt emphasized:

Forbidding life-saving, essential care to transgender individuals in military families causes severe distress, forcing them to choose between their duty and their loved ones’ health. This politicization of healthcare goes against the values of fairness, dignity, and respect we strive for as a nation. No one should be forced to decide between their obligations and protecting their family.

The Senate’s approval of this harmful bill neglects our military personnel and their families, prioritizing political maneuvering over the dignity, rights, and welfare of those who serve. This sets a dangerous precedent for government intrusion into personal medical decisions.

Advocates like Hunt are urging President Joe Biden to veto the legislation.

“If signed into law, this will be the first federal act to limit healthcare access for transgender adolescents,” Hunt added. “It would be tragic for an administration that has prioritized LGBTQI+ rights more than any before it to pass a law endangering countless transgender youths. We strongly encourage President Biden to defend these youths and their families by vetoing this bill.”

Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, stated, “President Biden has the power to end this cruelty.”

“He should fulfill his commitments to protect LGBTQ+ Americans, defend military families, and ensure our politics reflect our nation’s ideals,” Robinson continued. “President Biden must veto this bill.”

The NDAA also includes a clause that prevents the Department of Defense from acknowledging “casualty figures sourced from organizations designated as terrorist by the United States” or related entities. Critics argue this is an attempt to suppress information about the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which according to various sources, including United Nations agencies and even the Israeli military, has resulted in significant Palestinian casualties.

Stephen Semler, co-founder of the Security Policy Reform Institute, mentioned, “Essentially, it’s a ban on discussing Gaza fatalities.”