WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14) released the following statement on the House Republicans’ partisan and extreme Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA):

“MAGA Republicans in Congress have taken their radical abortion ban politics and climate change denial to the extreme by turning an important national security bill into a vehicle for their extremism. It likely will harm America’s national security, military recruitment and service member health.

“The NDAA is radically different from the bipartisan bill that passed out of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) that was viewed as a strong defense bill that invested in our nation’s men and women in uniform and their families, promoted innovation and technology, supported strategic alliances, and strengthened our military readiness.  I was proud to have championed important provisions in the bill that would have directly helped MacDill Air Force Base service members and families, including pay raises and improvements in on-base housing, health care and child care access.

“House Republicans transformed meaningful defense legislation to attack women and minority service members, leave our military installations vulnerable to higher costs and impacts of climate change and weaken our national security. 

“Republicans chose to abandon our heroic men and women in uniform and pollute the bill with culture war extremism. MAGA Republicans’ actions will hurt military recruitment at a time when the services are struggling to attract talent like other employers and industries.

“House Democrats are committed to putting people over politics to support our troops, strengthen our military and protect American families."