St. Paul Reporter

McCollum: Most extreme social policy riders ever seen in a Defense Appropriations bill

On June 15  House Appropriations subcommittee markup of the 2024 Defense funding bill, House Democrats highlighted how Republicans are failing to invest in the issues that matter most to our men and women in uniform. Instead of focusing on national security, the bill includes irrelevant, harmful policy riders that divide our nation.

For 2024, the bill provides $826.2 billion, $285 million above the request, and $29.4 billion above last year’s level. The legislation:

• Fails to fully fund and authorize the President’s request to fund the munitions required to counter Chinese Communist Party threats.
• Allows disinformation campaigns and extremist views to flourish which undermine our democracy.
• Cuts vital civilian positions at a time when the Department is struggling to meet readiness goals.
• Fails to invest in critical climate change programs that are necessary to protect our installations.
• Harms readiness with divisive provisions that undermine morale and fail to support our service personnel, by:
  • Attacking the LGBTQ+ community with hateful provisions;
  • Preventing service personnel from traveling to seek reproductive health care; and
  • Banning funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

“It is regrettable that the Republican majority has produced a Defense Appropriations bill that would undermine our military’s readiness and leave us less secure in the world, not more,” Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Betty McCollum (D-MN-04) said. “Reductions in civilian personnel will burden our service members with additional duties without finding meaningful savings. Cuts to climate resiliency programs will leave the Department more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The cost of repairing unprepared installations damaged by hurricanes, flooding, and wildfires will rise. Most disappointing of all, this bill contains the most extreme social policy riders I have ever seen in a Defense Appropriations bill. These riders make it almost impossible to gain bipartisan support. Our service members make immense sacrifices, along with their families, on behalf of our nation and they deserve better from Congress.”

Congresswoman McCollum’s full remarks as prepared for delivery are here.

“Republicans are seeking to reverse bipartisan policies to have equality for women and to make it uncomfortable for LGBTQ+ Americans to serve in the military. The Republican 2024 defense funding bill would cut funding for readiness and climate change programs critical for our national security and fails to support our men and women in the armed services,” Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) said. “Fostering an environment where every American who would willingly put their lives on the line to protect and serve this nation feels they are welcomed and supported should not be controversial. This bill is a non-starter that fails to meet the agreement signed into law. I urge my colleagues to focus on the end goal of funding our government rather than pushing messaging bills that have no future.”

Congresswoman DeLauro’s full remarks as prepared for delivery are here. 

Key provisions of the bill can be found here. The text of the draft bill is here. 

Original source can be found here.