Not So Moderate After All: New York GOP Delegation Falls in Line with MAGA Republicans on Extreme NDAA Vote
NEW YORK — House Republicans have passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024, tacking on a slew of extreme culture war amendments. Among these controversial measures was an amendment making it harder for military members to access reproductive healthcare. Almost the entire New York Republican delegation voted for the amendment, including Representatives George Santos, Anthony D’Esposito, and Marc Molinaro.
“Access to reproductive care is a foundational economic issue. Choosing whether and when to have a child is one of the largest financial decisions a person will make in their lifetime,” said Maria Martinez, Executive Director of Empire State Voices. “It’s infuriating that this choice could be ripped away by so-called ‘moderates’ like Reps. Anthony D’Esposito and Marc Molinaro.”
Find the full story and "key points" below:
NPR: House passes defense bill mostly along party lines with culture war measures attached
“The House has narrowly passed its defense authorization bill mostly along party lines, shattering a nearly 60-year precedent of passing the annual package with significant bipartisan support.”
“A pivotal moment in the course of the debate this week came from Texas GOP Rep. Ronny Jackson, whose amendment would prohibit the Defense Department from paying or reimbursing travel expenses related to abortion care for service members — a policy implemented by the Pentagon after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.”
“The fact that a bill that was expected to have bipartisan support ended up with only a handful of Democrats supporting it throws McCarthy's very narrow majority into stark relief and provides another example of the speaker acquiescing to the demands of the ultra-right Freedom Caucus in order to pass legislation.”
“‘Extreme MAGA Republicans have chosen to hijack the historically bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act to continue attacking reproductive freedom and jamming their right-wing ideology down the throats of the American people,’ House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, caucus chair Pete Aguilar, and whip Katherine Clark said in a statement earlier [in the] week.”
To learn more about the campaign, please reach out at press@empirestatevoices.org
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About Empire State Voices
Empire State Voices (ESV) is a multi-year campaign dedicated to amplifying the voices of everyday working New Yorkers. ESV is fighting for economic policies that make life more affordable for constituents and holding members of Congress across the state accountable when they fail to do the same.
