These lawmakers bucked their party on an unusually partisan defense bill

The House passed its version of the annual defense policy bill on Friday, with four Democrats and four Republicans bucking their parties on the high-profile vote.

The chamber approved the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in a largely party-line 219-210 vote, an unusual outcome for the must-pass measure that typically receives bipartisan support.

Republican Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Ken Buck (Colo.), Eli Crane (Ariz.) and Thomas Massie (Ky.) broke from GOP leadership and opposed the measure.

Democratic Reps. Don Davis (N.C.), Jared Golden (Maine), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Wash.) and Gabe Vasquez (N.M.) crossed the aisle and voted for the legislation.

Final passage came after lawmakers voted on a number of conservative amendments pertaining to hot-button issues like abortion, transgender rights and diversity and inclusion initiatives. The adoption of some of those measures drove widespread Democratic opposition to the bill.

The chamber also weighed in on a handful of amendments related to funding for Ukraine. Those, however, were voted down, which fueled some conservative frustrations.

Buck’s opposition to the measure rested in its price tag. The legislation sets an $866 billion budget for the country’s armed forces in fiscal year 2024. He said he could not “in good conscience” support the legislation.

“Our country is careening toward fiscal ruin, and Congress continues to turn a blind eye by passing these massive spending packages with no attention to their cost or efficacy,” he wrote in a statement.

“Congress must get serious about the waste, fraud, and abuse at the DOD and cut unnecessary programs,” he added.

Biggs and Crane posted a joint, 10-minute video explaining their “no” votes, citing U.S. support for the war in Ukraine, financial accountability at the Pentagon and culture war issues. Five amendments that would have cut funding to Ukraine or otherwise reduced U.S. involvement failed on Thursday.

Crane said he rejected the idea that his vote meant he didn’t care about the military, but “I do want to see some accountability and I do want us to change our thinking within national security from hey we’ve got to subsidize global peace to we need to take care of America first.”

On the other side of the aisle, Perez railed against the bill — targeting the GOP amendments — but said she ultimately supported the package to protect service members.

“This year’s NDAA was deeply flawed because of the Republican majority weaponizing the legislation to play into their senseless culture wars. I voted against these harmful amendments, and I refuse to play into their game plan,” Perez wrote in a statement.

“But, we have an obligation to protect our citizens, our borders, and our brave service members who put their lives on the line to defend our freedoms, which is why I voted for the bill,” she added.

She also noted that her amendment that seeks to improve the military’s ability to fix its equipment was in the bill.

“As the legislation moves to the Senate and both chambers work towards compromise, I look forward to voting on a final version of the NDAA – one that fully funds our military and national defense while understanding that threats to our nation originate from our adversaries, not from a woman’s freedom to make decisions about her own reproductive health or from LGBTQ+ Americans,” Perez wrote.

In a statement following the vote, Davis — an Air Force veteran — called the NDAA “a work in progress.”

“As a U.S. Air Force veteran who served in the ranks, I am committed to supporting the men and women who work to keep the American people safe and secure,” he said.

“As negotiations continue, I look forward to supporting enhancements to the bill,” he later added. “We must pass a strong bipartisan bill that works for our brave men and women who put their lives on the line to serve our country.”

The Hill reached out to the other lawmakers for comment.