The House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee (HAC-D) on Wednesday advanced its $833.1 billion fiscal year 2025 spending bill, while the panel’s top Democrat said the inclusion of GOP-proposed “harmful policy riders” would hinder the legislation from picking up bipartisan support moving forward.
“It is very clear that all the divisive riders must come out, or this bill will not gain the bipartisan support necessary to become law – just like last year,” Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), according to a copy of her remarks delivered at Wednesday’s markup. “Regrettably at this time, I will be unable to vote for passage of this bill. And I cannot recommend to my colleagues that they support it. But I do look forward to working with you in a bipartisan fashion over the coming months to get a bill that secures our national defense, and that all of us can support.”
HAC-D’s $833.1 billion FY ‘25 spending bill, released on Tuesday and then marked up in a closed session on Wednesday, adheres to the one percent spending cap mandated by last year’s Fiscal Responsibility Act (Defense Daily, June 15).
The bill, which is set to be considered by the full House Appropriations Committee (HAC) on June 13, breaks with the House Armed Services Committee and its version of the FY ‘25 National Defense Authorization Act by deciding against funding a second Virginia-class submarine and boosting F-35 procurement by eight aircraft.
“As we face renewed threats and aggressors across the globe, providing our men and women in uniform with the tools needed to deter, fight and win is critically important. This FY ‘25 bill strengthens America’s defense and the readiness of our armed forces. By focusing resources on the core duty of the Pentagon, the mission to deliver a combat-ready military that can prevent war and protect our great nation is met,” Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), the HAC chair, said in a statement on Thursday.
Along with the inclusion of GOP-led “poison pill provisions,” aimed at block climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at DoD, Democrats on Tuesday cited their objections to the bill’s $916 million cut to funding for the Pentagon’s civilian workforce and the Republicans’ decision not to include the requested $300 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance initiative.
“There is a path laid out for us to responsibly strengthen America’s national security and support our armed servicemembers. But instead, we are considering a bill that chooses chaos over our national security, and sows division instead of supporting our servicemembers’ morale and unity. This bill undermines democracy, here and around the world, and it disarms our military in the face of the climate crisis,” Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the HAC ranking member, said on Wednesday.
McCollum on Wednesday also cited Democrats’ objection to the bill’s inclusion of “divisive social policy” aimed at limiting the ability of service members and their families to receive reproductive healthcare and provisions that “disenfranchise” LGBT troops and noted the legislation’s measure banning funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.
“Palestinian civilians, many of them children, are struggling with catastrophic hunger and starvation. The Hamas terrorist attacks of last October 7th were barbaric, and a tragedy. But the suffering of the civilian population of Gaza will not make Israel safer – it is contributing to its insecurity. This new provision will only make the situation worse,” McCollum said.
The pushback from Democrats is similar to last year’s appropriations process where a slew of conservative GOP-led policy riders in the HAC-D’s original version of the bill were ultimately removed from the final legislation (Defense Daily, March 22).
“Including riders that the majority knows will not become law, will only serve to repeat a process that very nearly ended in a full year Continuing Resolution. Our national security cannot afford that,” McCollum said on Wednesday.