Historically bipartisan defense bill faces opposition from 124 Dems due to restrictions on transgender treatments for minors.

On Wednesday, the House passed its annual defense bill, which includes a substantial pay increase for junior enlisted troops and aims to eliminate DEI programs at the Pentagon.

The legislation passed with a narrow margin, with 16 Republicans voting no and only 81 Democrats voting yes. This represents a significant shift from previous years when the legislation typically had bipartisan support.

A provision in the bill that limits transgender treatment coverage for minors was opposed by many Democrats.

The Senate will now consider the legislation before it is sent to President Joe Biden for his signature.

The NDAA, a 1,800-page bill detailing the allocation of $895.2 billion for defense and national security, will be voted on more than two months after the start of the fiscal year.

The 1% increase in the $895.2 billion budget from last year is smaller than what some defense hawks desired.

The legislation aimed to enhance the quality of life for service members during a time of record recruitment challenges, with a 14.5% pay increase for junior enlisted troops, increased access to child care, and job support for military spouses.

All service members will receive a 4.5% pay raise starting January 1st, as authorized by the measure.

Democrats may find it difficult to support this year's NDAA due to its focus on eliminating "woke" policies.

The proposed ban on Tricare covering transgender services for minor dependents of service members has sparked controversy, causing Rep. Adam Smith of Washington to reevaluate his stance on the bill.

"Denying health care to transgender people based on a biased notion is wrong, and this provision injected partisanship into defense bills."

The aim of that provision is to hinder any "sterilization interventions" on minors.

The bill did not include provisions for a blanket ban on funding for gender transition surgeries for adults or a ban on requiring masks to prevent the spread of diseases.

The bill includes provisions for deploying the National Guard to the southern border to aid in the apprehension of illegal immigrants and the prevention of drug flow.

The Air Force is considering a pilot program to test the feasibility and advisability of allowing airmen and Space Force personnel to grow facial hair.

The bill did not include a provision expanding access to IVF for service members, which has caused Democrats to express dissatisfaction. Currently, military health care only covers IVF for troops whose infertility is linked to service-related illness or injury.

The bill did not contain an amendment to repeal a provision that enables the Pentagon to compensate service members for traveling out of state to obtain an abortion.

The hiring freeze on DEI-related roles has been extended, and all recruitment for these positions has been halted until an investigation into the Pentagon's DEI programs is completed.

An internal GOP memo prohibits the Defense Department from working with advertising companies that blacklist conservative news sources.

The NDAA reduces funding for the Biden administration's "Countering Extremist Activity Working Group" and does not authorize any climate change programs, while also prohibiting the Pentagon from issuing climate impact-based guidance on weapons systems.

The House Speaker, Mike Johnson, R-La., highlighted $31 billion in savings that would result from eliminating "inefficient programs, outdated weapons, and excessive Pentagon bureaucracy" in the proposed legislation.

The compromise NDAA bill, reached between Republican and Democrat leaders, establishes policy for the country's largest government department. However, a separate defense spending bill must be passed to fund these programs.