Biden Signs $895 Billion Defense Bill Amid Controversial Restrictions on ‘Trans Medical Care’ for Minors – One America News Network
OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
1:38 PM – Tuesday, December 24, 2024
In spite of opposition from Democrats regarding a provision that prohibits “transgender medical treatments” for children in military families, President Biden enacted a defense bill on Monday that authorizes salary increases for junior enlisted service members, aims to address China’s expanding influence, and raises overall military expenditure to $895 billion.
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“The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed in the Senate with a vote of 85-14, despite the inclusion of a measure that would limit the use of funds from TRICARE—the health care program for active-duty service members—for ‘gender-affirming care’ [medication and other treatments] for children 18 years and younger of military personnel,” The Hill reported.
Interestingly, Biden stated that his administration strongly opposes this clause as it “interferes with the ability of parents to make the best health care decisions for their children,” a statement that caught many off guard.
The president also expressed that he believes this provision “targets” individuals based on their gender identity, making it more challenging for the all-volunteer military to attract and retain qualified personnel.
“No service member should have to choose between their family’s health care access and their duty to serve our nation,” Biden remarked in a statement.
The Senate passed the bill with an 85-14 vote on Thursday before sending it to Biden.
Biden raised concerns over additional provisions in the bill that restrict the transfer of detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to specific foreign nations or back to the U.S. using the allocated funds. He urged Congress to eliminate these restrictions.
The annual defense authorization bill sets Pentagon policy, granting junior enlisted service members a pay increase of 14.5% and a 4.5% raise for others.
Moreover, the bill is expected to fund a “more assertive strategy toward China,” including establishing a fund aimed at providing Taiwan with military support similar to the financial aid given to Ukraine. Additionally, it bolsters American ammunition production and invests in cutting-edge military technologies and artificial intelligence (AI).
The defense bill strengthens restrictions on Chinese products, spanning “drone technology to food supplies in military stores,” as part of the U.S.’s ongoing initiatives to prohibit military procurement of Chinese goods.
However, a corresponding spending package is still required to implement these measures.
Meanwhile, Kelley Robinson, leader of the Human Rights Campaign— the largest LGBTQ advocacy organization in the nation—asserted that Biden and Congress “have let down military families.”
“For them, this legislation transcends politics; it concerns the loss of their right to make personal health care choices,” Robinson stated on Tuesday.
Furthermore, Rachel Branaman, executive director of the Modern Military Association of America, which advocates for LGBTQ military and veteran communities, contended that Biden’s approval of the bill “contradicts assertions that his administration is the most pro-LGBTQ+ in U.S. history.”
“The provisions in this bill that deny medically necessary health care for military youth will impose significant challenges upon thousands of individuals who defend our country every day. Once again, the needs of the most vulnerable and at-risk groups have been overlooked in favor of political expediency,” Branaman declared.
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