The White House denounced the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act as a “rightwing wishlist” Friday.
White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said that the bill was detrimental to the United States military and its service members, even going so far as to say that it was holding them “hostage,” in a statement to RealClearPolitics.
SOME HOUSE GOP LAWMAKERS PUSH BIDEN IMPEACHMENT, BUT LEADERSHIP IS CAUTIOUS
“Holding America’s military readiness — as well as service members and their families — hostage to an extreme, divisive political agenda undermines our national security and disrespects the sacrifices that those who wear the uniform,” Bates said. “That’s what House Republicans, Senator Tuberville, and Senate Republicans who refuse to challenge him are doing by hijacking a bipartisan bill and devolving it into a hardcore rightwing wishlist.”
Bates was referring to Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s (R-AL) monthslong protest move of blocking all staff and general officer nominations and promotions following the Pentagon’s imposition of a controversial abortion policy. House Republicans aided him on Friday, adding a clause that would remove the law in this year’s NDAA.
White House reacts to House passed NDAA by saying GOP lawmakers are “holding America’s military readiness – as well as service members and their families – hostage.”
Full statement from WH deputy press sec @AndrewJBates46 below: pic.twitter.com/FdYzFDt2fh
— Philip Melanchthon Wegmann (@PhilipWegmann) July 15, 2023
CLICK HERE FOR MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“President Biden stands with the overwhelming majority of the American people who believe our military capabilities should never be endangered, especially not in furtherance of radical agendas meant to tear Americans apart for political gain,” he added. “Harm to every service branch is mounting daily. It’s imperative for congressional Republicans to put country over party.”
The line of taking the military hostage has been used by the White House and Department of Defense as an attack against Tuberville for the past several months. Tuberville argues that the fault lies with the Pentagon, as it imposed the policy in a manner that Tuberville argues is illegal without the consent of Congress.
