The name of the legislation — the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) — might sound bureaucratic, but as regular readers know, it’s actually a massive, annual defense spending bill that funds the United States military.
But that’s not all it does. The NDAA also guides Pentagon policy, touching on everything from troop levels to weapons systems to military personnel policy. It takes months to negotiate the details, and by some measures, as much legislative work goes into this one package as any other bill in a typical Congress.
This year, House Republican leaders loaded up the NDAA with culture-war provisions intended to make far-right members happy. The bill then went to a conference committee, allowing members from both chambers to craft a compromise package that will get up-or-down votes in the House and Senate.
It wasn’t long before GOP members noticed that the elements that they liked most about the House’s version were, predictably, scuttled during the negotiations. What’s more, the same bill extends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), including Section 702, which is used for warrantless surveillance of some foreigners.
Though House Speaker Mike Johnson’s position on the bill has been all over the place, the Louisiana Republican eventually endorsed the bicameral agreement. As The Messenger reported, the members who were placated in the spring now feel betrayed.
Some hardliners are warning that the capitulations House Speaker Mike Johnson made in the bipartisan negotiations with other congressional leaders are adding to mounting evidence that nothing is improving for Republicans under his leadership. “That’s a full on strike two and a half — if not more,” House Freedom Caucus member Chip Roy told The Messenger, alluding to baseball’s three strikes and you’re out.
Asked about possible consequences for Johnson, Roy added, “We’ll see.”
The Texan wasn’t the only GOP member who was publicly displeased. Republican…
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