Davids Votes Against Package that Restricts Access to Health Care for Military and Their Families

Today, Representative Sharice Davids voted against an extreme proposal that would restrict access to health care for service members and their families. Since coming to Congress, Davids has consistently supported the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in a bipartisan manner. While today’s bill included provisions Davids has long championed — such as improved pay, health care, housing, and child care for service members — she could not support it because it would ultimately harm military families and jeopardize Armed Forces retention.

“I grew up in a military family – my mom and grandfather each served for more than 20 years – so I have a deep, personal commitment to ensuring our service members and their families are treated with the respect they deserve. They need pay raises, quality health care, safe housing, and affordable child care,” said Davids. “But I also agree with Republican House Armed Services Committee Chair Mike Rogers that politics has no place in decisions that impact our troops’ well-being, which is what we saw today. This bill includes provisions that put Kansas service members and their families’ health at risk, which is unacceptable. We owe it to those who serve to rise above political games and deliver the care, resources, and respect they have earned through their sacrifice and service.”

Today's bill faced criticism from both parties, including Davids and Republican House Armed Services Committee Chair Mike Rogers, who denounced Speaker Mike Johnson for inserting anti-health care provisions into the NDAA, stating, “This stuff does not belong in our bill.” These provisions, which include banning coverage for gender-affirming care for the children of service members, would unnecessarily involve the government in personal health care decisions for military families.

For six decades, the NDAA has been a largely bipartisan effort, but Speaker Johnson's actions have drawn widespread criticism for politicizing the process. Organizations like Planned Parenthood, the Human Rights Campaign, Minority Veterans of America, and medical groups such as the American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics have voiced their opposition.

Last year, the U.S. House passed a partisan version of the NDAA that included a laundry list of extremist measures, including restrictions on reproductive health care. Davids then pledged to advocate for common-sense, bipartisan policies that protect reproductive rights while expanding pay, child care, and housing support for military families. She and her colleagues worked across the aisle to ensure these critical priorities were represented in today’s bill.

Along with successfully fighting against restrictions on reproductive health care, today’s bill included Davids’ original bipartisan legislation to award a Congressional Gold Medal to more than 220 “Hello Girls,” the first female soldiers to be officially deployed to a combat zone in American history. Other Davids-supported wins include:

• Service Member Pay: Raising pay for junior enlisted service members by 14.5 percent and by 4.5 percent for all other service members.
• Health Care: Eliminating certain copays for contraceptives, expanding tele-health and mental health care access, enhancing treatment for blast-related injuries, and streamlining medical processing for recruits to reduce backlogs.
• Child Care: Helping to eliminate child care waitlists for eligible families and ensuring competitive pay for Department of Defense child care staff.
• Housing: Replacing poor unaccompanied housing and barracks, fast-tracking work order submissions and reducing backlogs, and ensuring internet access for those living in barracks.

To support Kansas service members and veterans, Davids introduced bipartisan legislation – which passed the U.S. House – to help eliminate barriers faced when starting a business. She also helped pass the Honoring our PACT Act, which expands Department of Veterans Affairs' health care eligibility to 3.5 million American veterans exposed to burn pits and toxic airborne hazards while deployed. 

Davids, whose mother served in the Army for 20 years, and her office are committed to helping military and veteran constituents with casework and acts as a facilitator between federal, state, and local agencies. Service members, veterans, and their families are encouraged to contact Davids’ office by visiting davids.house.gov/helpforvets.