The U.S. Senate has advanced a landmark defense bill valued at $895 billion, clearing a key hurdle toward final passage expected Tuesday. With a decisive 83-12 vote, the Senate set the stage for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to head to President Joe Biden’s desk, despite ongoing debate over a provision that targets transgender healthcare.
The massive defense bill is a cornerstone of U.S. military policy, outlining spending on equipment and strategies to counter global threats from rivals like China and Russia. Beyond bolstering military readiness, the bill includes provisions aimed at improving the welfare of the armed forces, such as a notable pay raise. Service members will see a 14.5% increase for the lowest ranks, and a 4.5% raise for others, alongside funding for military housing, schools, and childcare facilities.
However, the bill’s inclusion of a controversial ban on certain gender-affirming care for transgender children of service members has ignited fierce debate. Under this provision, the military’s health program, TRICARE, would not cover treatments that could lead to sterilization for transgender minors, a move that underscores the growing politicization of transgender issues in U.S. governance.
This year’s NDAA reflects a delicate balance between Democratic and Republican priorities. While it represents a bipartisan compromise, it notably omits more stringent Republican proposals, including restrictions on gender-affirming care for transgender adults and a reversal of Pentagon-funded travel for abortion services.
Despite the divisive provisions, the NDAA’s passage remains one of Congress’s most consistent achievements, with lawmakers touting it as a rare example of annual, bipartisan legislative success. The NDAA sets the framework for defense policy but leaves the actual funding to be determined in a separate spending bill, which is expected to face delays until March.
