WASHINGTON—Heritage Action, a conservative grassroots organization with 2 million grassroots activists, today announced a key vote in opposition of the Conference Report to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (H.R. 2670).
Heritage Action Executive Vice President Ryan Walker released the following statement:
“Americans agree that maintaining a strong national defense involves having a mission-driven military that prioritizes restoring strength at home and ensuring peace abroad. Instead, the Biden administration continues to weaken the integrity of our military by prioritizing abortion services, promoting CRT and DEI initiatives, and enabling sex reassignment surgeries within U.S. armed forces. The FY24 NDAA offers an opportunity to fight back, but this final version missed the mark.
“In addition to enabling Biden’s politicization of the military, this agreement willfully rejects efforts to deter the growing influence of Chinese military capabilities. Lawmakers who inexplicably opposed efforts to combat the Chinese Communist Party—despite their frequent campaign promises—missed a meaningful opportunity to scrutinize problematic investments into China.
“The Biden administration’s radical social policies at nearly every federal agency cannot stand. Public confidence in the U.S. military is at one of its lowest levels ever, as demonstrated by a persistent and historic recruitment crisis during a period of increased politicization at the Pentagon. The American people deserve a strong response from our elected leaders when foreign aggressors threaten our interests, but the FY24 NDAA conference report falls short of fulfilling this responsibility. Members of Congress concerned about restoring the strength, size, and integrity of the military while safeguarding our nation’s security should oppose this weak conference report.”
BACKGROUND:
The full text of Heritage Action’s key vote can be found here or below:
KEY VOTE: “NO” on Conference Report to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (H.R. 2670)
Heritage Action opposes the conference report to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (H.R. 2670) and will include it as a key vote on our legislative scorecard.
The FY24 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) should provide our Armed Forces with the tools and resources needed to deter conflict and require the Department of Defense (DoD) to focus solely on its fundamental mission of safeguarding our nation's security. The FY24 NDAA conference report fails to adequately fulfill these responsibilities and further undermines the integrity of our military.
The House-passed version was an important step in restoring mission-driven military priorities and strong defense capabilities. The bill represented a needed refocus on policies and authorities to defend our nation by rejecting a political agenda at the DoD that divides, distracts, and disarms our servicemembers. The American people should not be forced to fund a Pentagon that facilitates abortion, enables sex reassignment surgeries, and promotes the corrosive influence of Critical Race Theory and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. Unfortunately, many of those necessary policy changes were stripped from the final conference report.
The agreement is made even worse by rejecting multiple efforts to deter the growing influence and military capabilities of our adversary, China—including provisions to sanction fentanyl traffickers and protect U.S. agricultural land. Most significantly, the conference report throws out the bipartisan, Senate-passed language to curb U.S. capital freely flowing into China with few restrictions, little oversight, and minimal prohibitions. The pensions and savings of millions of Americans are financing China’s military buildup. Lawmakers who inexplicably opposed these efforts to combat the CCP—despite their frequent campaign promises—missed a meaningful opportunity to begin scrutinizing these problematic investments into China.
Further, the measure includes a short-term extension of an important national security tool, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), but with no reforms, which are essential. This is a massive missed opportunity to debate fixes to the federal government’s glaring abuses. At a time when far too many Americans are rightfully concerned with federal overreach and bias in the intelligence community, especially the FBI, Congress must reform the FBI and FISA, as outlined by The Heritage Foundation.
At a time when aggressors across the globe are threatening American interests and influence, public confidence in the U.S. military is at one of its lowest levels ever amid a persistent and historic recruitment crisis and growing politicization at the Pentagon. Americans deserve a strong response from their elected leaders. This FY24 NDAA conference report does not meet the moment and fails to refocus our military in a way that would restore strength at home and ensure peace abroad.
Heritage Action opposes the conference report to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (H.R. 2670) and will include it as a key vote on our legislative scorecard.