Janelle Irwin Taylor
U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor is celebrating the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025, but is calling out one provision that blocks medical treatment for transgender children of service members.
“Our military service members and their families deserve unwavering support, so I am proud that the FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) delivers a well-deserved pay raise for our troops while safeguarding America’s national security and boosting vital strategic alliances,” Castor said in a prepared statement, spotlighting wins in the legislation.
“I am particularly proud to have championed parts of the defense bill that benefit the service members and families at MacDill Air Force Base, including pay raises and critical improvements to on-base housing, health care and childcare. As Co-Chair of the Special Forces Caucus, I am also gratified that Congress will invest in Special Operations Forces and SOCOM to support service members and their families to retain top talent.”
The House passed the $895 billion defense bill on Wednesday, despite most Democrats — Castor excluded — voting against it due to language restricting gender-affirming care for transgender children. The controversial measure involved language prohibiting TRICARE — the health coverage for military service members — from covering treatments for gender dysphoria for anyone under 18, specifically such treatments that “could result in sterilization.”
“I am deeply disappointed in Speaker (Mike) Johnson’s choice to hijack meaningful bipartisan work to inject a highly partisan provision targeting LGBTQ+ children. His decision to turn this defense bill into a vehicle for extremist culture wars breaks decades of traditionally bipartisan work for our nation’s men and women in uniform,” Castor lamented, despite her support for the bill overall.
The bill cleared with a bipartisan 281-140 vote. It contains several provisions that were popular on both sides of the aisle, including a 4.5% pay raise across the military and an additional 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted troops.
Castor said the nation owes “it to our service members to address the cost of living” and said that’s why she fought for the pay raises.
“This well-earned pay raise will provide meaningful relief to service members and their families. Additionally, the NDAA increases the Basic Needs Allowance, helping military families better manage grocery and housing costs,” Castor said.
In all, 81 Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the bill, after even more controversial measures were stripped, including rolling back current Pentagon policy that allows for reimbursement for travel for abortion care and blocking the Defense Department from providing gender-affirming care for adult military members.
Also stripped was a controversial provision that would have eliminated diversity, equity and inclusion efforts within the Defense Department. The final NDAA also does not include language that would ban the Pentagon from endorsing critical race theory in certain academic settings and military training.
Castor said she was also pleased with inclusion in the NDAA for child care, including fully funding child care fee assistance initiatives she says will “eliminate waitlists for eligible families.”
“It also makes needed investments to recruit, train and retain child care personnel to expand the DoD child care workforce,” Castor said.
Castor also applauded investments into mold mitigation in military housing and barracks.
“I am proud of the bipartisan efforts that led to substantial pay increases for service members. This bill also makes crucial improvements in areas such as housing, health care, childcare, and spousal support for both service members and their families,” she said.
“I’m proud that Democrats successfully opposed numerous detrimental measures targeting DEI programs, the LGBTQ+ community and reproductive rights. Achieving these results required significant bipartisan compromise.”
Other provisions of the bill include $177 million for military construction design funds; funding for general facility maintenance; accelerating replacement of failing housing; requiring a new digital maintenance system to streamline work orders; eliminating TRICARE copays; providing tele-health services for mental health; improving and expanding care for certain service-related injuries; more than $176 million for new childcare centers; more than $110 million for new schools; $674 million for energy conservation and resiliency; and $75 million for environmental cleanup at remaining Base Realignment and Closure Site Act sites.
The NDAA heads next to the Senate for approval.
