House Republicans’ Defense Funding Bill Weakens U.S. National Security and Undermines Democracy at Home and Abroad

WASHINGTON — House Appropriations Committee Republicans today released their 2025 Defense funding bill, which will be considered in subcommittee tomorrow. Instead of investing in our national security and the issues that matter most to our men and women in uniform, the bill undermines democracy at home and abroad and includes harmful policy riders that divide our nation.

For 2025, the bill provides $833 billion, an increase of $150 million from the request and $8.6 billion, one percent, above fiscal year 2024. The legislation:

• Undermines democracy at home and abroad by allowing disinformation campaigns and extremist views to flourish.
• Eliminates support for Ukraine by not providing any funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.
• Harms readiness with divisive provisions that undermine morale and fail to support our service personnel, by:
  • Further limiting women's access to abortion by preventing service personnel from traveling to seek reproductive health care;
  • Cutting vital civilian positions;
  • Attacking the LGBTQ+ community with hateful policies; and
  • Banning funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
• Fails to invest in critical climate change programs necessary to protect our military installations.

"Once again, the Republican majority has written a Defense Appropriations bill that prioritizes extremist social policy views over the well-being of our service members and the security of our nation," Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Betty McCollum (D-MN-04) said. "Instead of building on the bipartisan conclusion to the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations process, the Fiscal Year 2025 Defense Appropriations bill includes the same outrageous policy riders that were rejected by Congress only two months ago. This bill would undermine the progress the Services have made in solving their recruitment challenges with provisions that will discourage many Americans from serving. For example, this bill once again includes a disastrous provision that would restrict service members and their families from seeking basic reproductive health care. I am also disturbed that the bill cuts long-standing bipartisan funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative while Ukraine continues to fight for its freedom against Russian aggression. Our service members and their families deserve better than a bill that caters to MAGA extremists over the readiness of our national defense."

"In a time of global crisis, when conflict is rampant and tensions are rising around the world, we should promote stability and work together. Instead, the House Republican Defense funding bill weakens U.S. national security and undermines democracy at home and abroad," Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) said. "House Republicans choose delays and dysfunction that threaten our military readiness. Their bill fails to provide support for Ukraine, abandoning them as they continue to fight back against Putin's tyranny. It ignores military leaders' assessment of the risks of climate change, disarming us in the face of the climate crisis. Republicans are seeking to further their goal of making abortion illegal nationally by making it more difficult for women in uniform to access vital health care services. Instead of joining House Democrats to focus on our national security and the issues that matter most to our men and women in uniform, Republicans are promoting divisive policies that undermine morale and fail to support our service personnel. Fostering an environment where every American who would willingly put their lives on the line to protect and serve this nation feels they are welcomed and supported should not be controversial."

A summary of House Republicans' 2025 Defense bill is here. A fact sheet of the bill is here. The full text of the bill is here.

###