The repercussions from the contraindications in last year’s NDAA bill still effect progressive thought and choices, so it has to be a concern that a New NDAA bill just passed the Republican-dominated House, and it has problems of it’s own. Republicans have used it as a vehicle to level more of their supply-side, pseudo-Christian hate at the LGBT community. Republicans have reneged on their spending agreement. And worst of all, Republicans have reaffirmed the indefinite detention language just ruled unconstitutional.
Wading into the gay marriage debate, the Republican-led House tacked a provision banning same-sex marriages at military chapels onto a sweeping defense bill that is now headed to the Senate.
Despite the high-octane public discussion over gay marriage that has intensified since President Obama announced his support for same-sex marriages, the issue has been one that Capitol Hill has largely sought to avoid. But the GOP majority led Congress into the issue by adding the same-sex marriage prohibitions to the defense bill.
The annual National Defense Authorization Act, approved 299 to 120 on Friday, is a traditionally bipartisan effort that can prove difficult for lawmakers to oppose. The bill includes a 1.7% annual pay raise for the troops but also is loaded with politically charged extras.
In passing the $642-billion measure, lawmakers broke the budget agreement Congress made last summer with the Obama administration — beefing up military spending $8 billion beyond the agreed-upon limit. The White House threatened a veto.
Intense debate surrounded a bipartisan amendment to prevent the indefinite detention of terrorism suspects, including U.S. citizens or those captured or detained in the U.S. It was rejected. Instead, the House agreed to prohibit the transfer of military detainees from the facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the U.S., and approved a provision reaffirming that all detainees have the right to a trial.
The bill addresses gay marriage with two provisions. One would ban performing gay marriages on any facility owned by the military. Another would protect military chaplains from punishment if they declined to marry a gay couple… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <LA Times>
Note that the reaffirmation that detainees have a right to a trial is moot, because no trial court has jurisdiction in Gitmo, leaving military tribunals as the only option, because it also forbids (again) the transfer of detainees to the US, where they could get trails.
It is my hope that the Senate will reject these provisions. The problem is that Senate Republicans will block votes on everything but the House version. Then, if Democrats refuse to pass the House version, Republicans will say that they voted the troops a pay increase in that House, but Democrats in the Senate voted not to pay the troops at all. The MSM will parrot the Republican lies without challenge. As ridiculous as that sounds, it’s exactly what happened last year. Since most US voters are too lazy to study the issues and educate themselves, it worked, and this year is even worse, because it’s an election year.
The Senate needs to deal with this. However, I have no confidence that they will. The bill has passed with a veto proof majority in the House. If it does so in the Senate, as well, Obama’s hands will be tied again. However, if that happens, I think he should veto it, knowing he will be overridden, regardless of the loss of face that entails, and take the reasons for doing so to the campaign trail. Sadly, he won’t be hearting that from his advisors.
5 Responses to “Problems in the New NDAA Bill”
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” The White House threatened a veto.”
“The Senate needs to deal with this. However, I have no confidence that they will.”
Any thoughts?
Few thoughts… lots of fears though.
The Senate will pass it so the President will have to veto it, that way they can say he is against giving a raise to the troops. Most of our fellow citizens have no idea what the NDAA is.
Edie, that’s the big problem. Ignorant people are great targets for fear.
Every time I see the NDAA, I think of the War Measures Act in Canada, although those same components are only one part of the NDAA. Unfortunately, that one component is what many Americans concentrate on and blame Mr Obama.
The NDAA isn’t legislation. It is politics, and dirty politics for that matter. No matter what happens, Mr Obama will be labelled! The Congress has tied military pay raises in the same bill as the indefinite detention of terrorism suspects, including U.S. citizens or those captured or detained in the U.S. Additionally, the House, yet again, agreed to prohibit the transfer of military detainees from the facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the U.S., and approved a provision reaffirming that all detainees have the right to a trial. Also this time around, there are 2 provisions regarding gay marriage — a ban on performing gay marriages on any facility owned by the military, and protection for military chaplains from punishment if they declined to marry a gay couple. This sets up 2 sets of rules for the LGBT community — one outside the military, and one inside the military.
So the House has passed the bill with a veto proof majority which only serves to show that the Republican/Teabaggers have no interest in the people of the US, only in trying to make Mr Obama a one term president. If the Senate does the same, I agree with TC that Mr Obama should veto it, knowing that the Congress will override his veto. But in vetoing the bill, Mr Obama MUST make very clear, in simple terms that even the low-effort thinking people, of which there are too many, can understand, what provisions he objects to and re-affirm his stance on a pay raise for the military.
Yet another display of Republican/Teabagger dysfunction and the price being exacted from the American people for Republican/Teabagger perfidy.