Omaha City Wire

Representative Don Bacon (R-NE 2) has been named to the House and Senate conference committee that will craft the 2024 National Defense Reauthorization Act (NDAA)—the bill that funds America’s military. A key issue will be whether the committee keeps the Senate version, which includes millions of dollars in controversial social spending, including reimbursing abortion travel, paying for gender reassignment surgeries, drag shows at military bases, and so-called racial equity training, or the House version, which strips out the controversial social spending.

Rep. Don Bacon was named to the NDAA conference committee. According to a press release on Speaker Nancy Pelosi's website, the committee is responsible for reconciling the differences between the House and Senate versions of the NDAA.

Rep. Bacon is known for his pro-life stance and support for the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal funding for abortions and abortion-related services. A July 2023 press release on Bacon's House website discusses his support for the House's passage of the 2024 NDAA and highlights provisions of the NDAA, including affirmation of the Hyde Amendment and the prohibition of federal funds for critical race theory (CRT) education and drag events sponsored by the Department of Defense (DOD).

In a recent vote, Rep. Bacon was one of only four House Republicans to vote against an amendment that would eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion offices in the Armed Forces and Department of Defense. The amendment passed and was included in the House version of the NDAA, which has been sent to conference.

The House version of the NDAA passed by a margin of 219 to 210. It authorizes $886 billion for national defense programs and includes policy provisions to counter China's influence, promote tech innovation, and improve military readiness and missile defense capabilities. The House version also includes provisions that eliminate Pentagon Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs and personnel, block military school libraries from purchasing "pornographic and radical gender ideology books," and prohibit the DOD from covering gender reassignment procedures.

Furthermore, the House version includes an amendment that codifies a ban on drag shows taking place on military bases and prohibits DOD funding for such performances. This amendment was passed in response to the Navy's Digital Ambassador Program, which used drag queen videos as part of their recruitment efforts. Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley, who performs drag under the name Harpy Daniels, was chosen by the Navy as one of its first "Digital Ambassadors."

The House version also includes "anti-woke" amendments by Congressman Jim Banks. These amendments address racial quotas in admissions to service academies and DOD policies related to promotions and assignments. They aim to eliminate racial discrimination and quotas in military academy admissions and require that all military accessions, assignments, selections, or promotions be decided based on merit.

A recent survey conducted by the Heritage Foundation found that 68% of active service members witnessed some level of politicization in the military, and 65% expressed concern about this development.

The conference committee, including Rep. Bacon, will now work to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions of the NDAA and determine the final provisions of the bill. The outcome will have significant implications for controversial social spending, including drag shows at military bases, gender reassignment surgeries, and racial equity training in the military.