WASHINGTON – Today, Heritage Action, a conservative grassroots organization with two million grassroots activists, released a statement from Executive Director Jessica Anderson ahead of the House vote on the 2023 NDAA.
“American service men and women deserve leaders in Congress who will fight for defense policies with a sole focus on military readiness and a strong national defense. Congressional leaders listened to conservatives and delivered a defense authorization bill that includes many important wins for the American people and our national defense. Heritage Action has been working for a clean NDAA for months, and that’s what this bill is.
The conservatives in Congress who stood up and fought for the repeal of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for service members and the exclusion of the Draft our Daughters proposal have achieved two great successes. This legislation also includes solid provisions to invest in our defense as we continue to face competition from China, but does not include the Left’s wishlist of items, like the discriminatory Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, the corporate media carveout JCPA, and the weak Manchin permitting reform compromise. Conservatives also eliminated a proposal to give the Washington, D.C. mayor control of the D.C. National Guard.
These victories, especially given the conservative minority in Congress, are significant. Overall, the conservative wins in the 2023 NDAA are important, but our work toward ensuring our national defense is secure and our military is a lethal fighting force is not yet complete. Heritage Action looks forward to working with a new Congress, with new leadership and a new mandate from the American people, to build on this year’s progress to prepare our military and provide for a strong national defense.”