For decades, supporting the U.S. military has been one of the few issues that united Republicans and Democrats. Every year, the House and Senate Armed Services committees draft a bill called the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to authorize funding for the military and establish policy priorities for the Department of Defense (DoD).
Historically, these bills have been passed in a largely bipartisan manner, as both parties are united in the belief that the U.S. military should be the most powerful fighting force in the world. (Related article: Morgan Murphy: Biden's most shocking lies)
Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. Under the leadership of President Joe Biden and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, our military has become infiltrated with woke politics, which has become a major distraction from their mission. And this is having a negative impact on the readiness and lethality of our military.
Biden has used the Pentagon as a tool for his radical political agenda. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) training requires taxpayer dollars to cover costs associated with elective courses abortion and Sex reassignment surgery Fired for military service 8,000 able-bodied soldiers For refusing to receive the COVID-19 vaccination.
Biden's complete lack of leadership on the world stage has left the United States in its most vulnerable position since the Cold War.
When Biden made the disastrous decision to prematurely withdraw from Afghanistan, abandoning our allies and costing the lives of 13 American service members, it sent a clear message to our enemies: now is our chance.
Since then, his policies of appeasement have sparked wars around the world, put global trade at risk, and put our military at risk. This entirely preventable situation, combined with our wide open borders, puts our country at risk more than I've ever seen in my lifetime.
Now, more than ever, we need a military that is 100% focused on protecting our country and strengthening our national security, not on implementing Biden's woke policies.
Biden's politicization of the military has come at a cost. In 2023, the Pentagon Fairly short The company failed to meet its recruiting goals in what it called “the military's toughest recruiting year since the inception of the volunteer military.”
This failure created a national security emergency. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), I listen Military officials spoke about the head-scratching decision to focus on woke policies instead of addressing the conscription crisis: No Answer.
Thankfully, the version of the NDAA passed by the SASC in June is a step in the right direction. I offered several amendments to cut specific funding for woke Biden efforts and refocus the Department of Defense on its promise to “deter war and ensure the security of the nation.”
The NDAA passed by the SASC cuts all funding allocated to Department of Defense DEI programs. Under President Donald Trump, the Department of Defense was prohibited from using federal funds for training on “divisive concepts.” In contrast, Biden will cut all funding on his first day in office. Announced The military will begin training to gain “knowledge about systemic and institutional racism and prejudice against disadvantaged communities.” This divisive and hateful ideology has no place in the US military. The military is not a social experiment. It is supposed to be a lethal fighting force, feared by our enemies and composed of the best and brightest minds. Wasting soldiers' precious time on political indoctrination is dangerous and offensive.
The Senate NDAA also includes my amendment to prohibit the use of taxpayer money to pay for gender transition surgery. Biden Administration The government has announced it will begin using taxpayer money to help transgender military personnel pay for hormone therapy, mental health care and surgery to transition to their preferred gender.
It is the taxpayer's job to pay for controversial elective procedures. Taxpayer dollars should be used to ensure that injured or ill soldiers get the quality, appropriate care they deserve.
Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the Biden administration's defense secretary announced that the Department of Defense would begin using taxpayer money to cover travel expenses and additional paid leave for service members and their families seeking elective abortions.
This controversial policy has never been approved by Congress and runs counter to federal law, which prohibits the Department of Defense from using taxpayer funds to perform or facilitate abortions except in very limited circumstances. I was pleased to see that the House version of the NDAA included a provision that would prohibit taxpayer funds from providing elective abortions to military members or their dependents. This amendment was not included in the Senate version, but I am hopeful it will be part of the final bill that reaches the President's desk.
Biden has us on the brink of multiple wars, and now it is more important than ever that our military is committed to establishing an advantage over our enemies.
While our priorities may differ, I'm sure we can all agree that the U.S. military should attract and retain talented, intelligent service members who advance and protect our national security interests. I'm proud of the progress we've made in the Senate NDAA to refocus the military on its core mission.
Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) was elected to the Senate in 2020. Prior to that, he spent 40 years in higher education coaching college football, including 11 years as head coach at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama.
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