Congress returns from its Fourth of July recess this week with growing objections to President Biden’s military policies and a looming fight in the Senate over ethics standards for the Supreme Court.
The major item up for consideration in the House is one of the few perennial must-pass bills: The $886 billion National Defense Authorization Act. House conservatives are using the legislation as a vehicle to buck the Pentagon’s progressive social personnel policies, setting the stage for what could be a brutal policy fight when the measure reaches the floor as early as this week.
Since advancing out of the Armed Services Committee, the NDAA has been flooded with more than 1,400 amendments, including a fresh revolt by progressives seeking to block Mr. Biden’s decision to provide cluster munitions to Ukraine’s military. Liberal Democrats say the munitions violate human rights standards, while the president said Ukraine is running out of ammunition to defend itself against Russian invaders.
Among the GOP-authored wish list of add-ons are measures preventing funding for diversity, equity and inclusion practices in the military, slashing funding for gender transition surgeries, and prohibiting funding for the military’s education arm to teach critical race theory. And Rep. Matt Gaetz, Florida Republican, has a proposal to end cannabis testing for members of the military.
Also, a coalition of pro-life groups is urging House Republicans to use the debate over the NDAA to revoke the administration’s policy allowing service members time off and travel reimbursements for abortions. In a letter first obtained by Fox News Digital, the groups called on lawmakers to repeal the department’s “illegal” policy through the NDAA “in order for a ’clean’ bill to move forward.”
The House Rules Committee will ultimately decide which of the amendments get floor votes.
SEE ALSO: House progressives trash Biden’s cluster bomb deal for Ukraine
In the Senate, Democrats on the Judiciary Committee plan to unveil legislation to impose ethics standards on Supreme Court justices. The move, signaled by Judiciary Committee Chair Sen. Richard J. Durbin follows a series of major decisions from the high court that rankled liberals.
The Supreme Court closed its term last week with rulings that dismantled race-based affirmative action in college admissions and torpedoed President Biden’s $400 billion student loan debt relief plan.
Senate Democrats tackled the ethics issue after reports of conservative justices receiving lavish gifts from wealthy Republican activists.
“Since the chief justice has refused to act, the Judiciary Committee must,” Mr. Durbin, Illinois Democrat, said in a statement. “The highest court in the land should not have the lowest ethical standards.”
The Senate Armed Services Committee this week will hold a pair of nomination hearings for key appointments to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. They are part of the more than 250 military nominations that have been delayed by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, Alabama Republican.
Mr. Tuberville is withholding the unanimous consent needed to quickly advance hundreds of nominees and promotions because of his opposition to the Pentagon’s abortion policy.
Mr. Tuberville’s blockage, which began in March, does not mean that they cannot be confirmed by the Senate. It does mean, however, that each nominee would have to be individually voted for on the Senate floor, which would be a lengthy process.
In a Washington Times op-ed, Mr. Tuberville wrote that he was not stopping any nominee from being promoted or confirmed, placing the onus of a vote on Senate Democrats.
“It is entirely reasonable for the Senate to vote on these nominations,” Mr. Tuberville wrote. “Shouldn’t we thoughtfully consider the nominees for some of the most powerful positions in the military?”
The Senate panel on Tuesday will consider the nomination of Gen. Charles Q. Brown for chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Gen. Brown has been tapped to replace outgoing Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Mark A. Milley, who is set to retire on Oct. 1.
The panel on Wednesday will consider the nomination of Gen. Randy A. George, who has been slated to replace outgoing Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville. Gen. McConville is set to leave his position on Aug. 9.
• Kerry Picket and Ramsey Touchberry contributed to this report.
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.
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