A group of conservative House Republicans, known for their right-wing ideologies, are pushing for the inclusion of socially conservative policies on abortion, race, and gender in the annual defense bill. Additionally, they are demanding severe restrictions on U.S. military support for Ukraine. This pressure could lead to a contentious debate regarding America’s backing of Ukraine’s war effort, right at the time when President Biden is trying to garner support from European allies.
It is highly unlikely that the group’s proposals on military aid will be successful in the House, as there is strong bipartisan support for supporting Ukraine’s war effort, and they are unlikely to gain traction in the Senate either. However, the insistence of the far right to vote on these matters has further complicated the defense legislation, which is typically a broadly supported measure that provides an annual pay raise to U.S. military personnel and sets Pentagon policy. This has turned it into a partisan battleground, revealing divisions within the Republican party.
The House has begun debating the $886 billion measure. Republican leaders are working behind the scenes to appease ultraconservative lawmakers who are demanding votes to reduce Ukraine aid and impose social policy directives. However, these disputes will need to be resolved in order to pass the bill, which was initially expected to receive approval on Friday. The far right’s threat to obstruct the process has put the timeline in jeopardy.
The group is seeking votes on a range of proposals that would limit U.S. support for Ukraine. This includes withholding all funding until a diplomatic solution is reached and ending a $300 million program that trains and equips Ukrainian soldiers. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia argues that Congress should not allocate any more funds to Ukraine and should instead push for peace. She emphasizes that Ukraine is not a part of the United States.
Representative Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, the chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, asserts that votes to curtail support for Ukraine are just as important to his group as votes on restricting abortion access and services for transgender soldiers. When asked whether some members might block the bill without these votes, he confirms that it is a possibility.
With Speaker Kevin McCarthy holding only a slight margin of control in the House, any rebellion from the right wing could derail the defense measure, preventing him from securing the necessary votes to advance it for final passage. However, giving in to the demands for votes on Ukraine aid would display divisions within Congress at a critical stage in Ukraine’s counteroffensive, just after President Biden appealed to NATO allies to remain united in their support.
Representative Gregory W. Meeks of New York, the top Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, warns against division, stating that it plays into Putin’s hands. He believes that unity is crucial in supporting Ukraine’s fight against Russia.
Some mainstream Republicans welcome the fight, viewing it as an opportunity to put the rebellious right wing in their place. Representative Mike D. Rogers of Alabama predicts that the attempt to scrap American support for Ukraine will fail overwhelmingly.
The defense bill is the latest platform for right-wing lawmakers to challenge McCarthy’s leadership. This protest began during the speaker fight in January and resumed last month when 11 far-right lawmakers brought the House floor to a standstill due to their dissatisfaction with McCarthy’s debt ceiling deal. They have threatened to employ similar tactics in the future if their demands are not met.
McCarthy anticipated a difficult battle over Ukraine funding in the coming months when the Biden administration is expected to request billions of dollars to support Ukraine’s war efforts. In an attempt to preempt a rebellion from the right wing, he publicly expressed his opposition to additional funding for Ukraine beyond the limits of the debt ceiling deal, contradicting his previous statements of support.
However, the ultraconservative faction is now trying to address the issue through the defense bill. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has developed a close alliance with McCarthy, declined to comment on whether she would join other right-wing members in blocking progress on the bill if they were denied a vote on Ukraine funding. Despite being one of the most outspoken hard-right members, Greene consistently backs McCarthy and refuses to support efforts that undermine his leadership. Nevertheless, her involvement indicates the potential division among House Republicans regarding a vote on Ukraine.
Ukraine assistance is a politically sensitive issue for the GOP. Both former President Donald J. Trump and Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida, who are front-runners for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, have expressed a desire to limit U.S. assistance to Ukraine. A recent poll by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute shows that while over 70% of Republicans want Ukraine to win the war, only half support providing U.S. military aid to assist the country against Russia.
Last year, 57 House Republicans voted against a measure that provided $40 billion in military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. In total, Congress approved over $113 billion in aid for Ukraine last year.
House GOP leaders are confident that they can defeat any proposal to strip funding for Ukraine, thus safeguarding the integrity of the underlying defense bill. However, they expressed concerns about the social policy measures proposed, which would alienate Democrats—whose votes are necessary for the bill’s passage. These measures include undoing a Pentagon policy that allows service members to have time off and receive travel reimbursement for obtaining an abortion out of state, ending diversity training in the military, and limiting medical services for transgender troops.
G.O.P. leaders are urging their colleagues to support the bill as it is, highlighting provisions that already address banning drag shows at military installations and the teaching of critical race theory. Representative Elise Stefanik of New York emphasizes that the bill confronts “woke, failed, far-left policies” that have been imposed on the Department of Defense and U.S. troops.
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