House Speaker Kevin McCarthy
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy praised the provisions, saying that the GOP did "exactly what we had said we would do" in using provisions in the bill to force the Biden administration to "stop using taxpayer money to do their own wokeism."
"A military cannot defend themselves if you train them in woke," McCarthy said, per the New York Times.
The new measures prevent the US Armed Forces from paying for sex changes or cross-sex hormones for personnel, from providing reimbursement for service members who seek to travel out of state to end their pregnancies, and eliminates all diversity, equity and inclusion offices at the Pentagon. Further, the Department of Defense will be prevented from employing affirmative action for military academies.
The Pentagon will also be prevented from buying porn or materials that "espouses radical gender ideology" through their education arm, and will not be permitted to try and meet Biden's dicates on climate change, which he signed via executive order.
The restrictions on abortion, medical sex changes, and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives led some to express concern that recruitment, which is already lagging far below military goals, will lag.
Others, like Rep. Adam Smith who serves on the Armed Services Committee, worried that the provisions would "undermine our ability to meet the national security objectives of this country."
On Thursday, Biden called up US military units to deploy to active duty in Europe under what is being called Operation Atlantic Resolve. Operation Atlantic Resolve is the official name the European Deterrence Initiative's operation supporting the war in Ukraine, and is in response to Russia's invasion of the Donbass region.
The bill moves on to the Senate, where the bill will have a tougher time getting through the Democrat controlled legislative body.
In the face of this, it’s really stunning how the political class incessantly lies to the American people by calling Social Security and Medicare “entitlement programs”. The reality is the working people of America pay into Social Security and Medicare EVERY working day of their lives - FULLY FUNDING these programs.Those same working people are also paying EVERY day for the US Military with their income taxes. And all the Corporations, who make a killing selling Defense the $3,000 hammers, will reward the political class handsomely with bribes and contributions to political campaigns. The people pay, and the rich clean up and live like kings.
So Mister Speaker, you better stop rearranging the deck chairs and actually try to save this Republic - or real soon the people are coming to do it themselves.