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House Approves $895 Billion Defense Bill with 14.5% Troop Pay Raise and Ban on Transgender Care for Minors

Dec 11, 2024, 11:30 PM

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), authorizing approximately $895 billion in defense spending—a 1% increase over the previous fiscal year. The bill includes a significant pay raise for military personnel, with a 14.5% increase for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% increase for all other members. The NDAA also contains a controversial provision that bans TRICARE coverage of gender-affirming medical care that could result in sterilization for transgender minors who are children of military members. The inclusion of this provision sparked backlash from Democrats, with 124 opposing the historically bipartisan bill, though 81 Democrats voted in favor. The legislation allocates $15.6 billion for bolstering defense capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region to counter Chinese aggression and cuts $31 billion in wasteful spending. It also authorizes National Guard deployments to secure the southern border. Despite the controversy, the NDAA passed with a bipartisan vote of 281-140 and will now move to the Senate for consideration.