President Joe Biden signed into law a defense bill that authorizes significant pay raises for junior enlisted service members, counters China's growing power, and boosts military spending to $895 billion. Despite objections to language stripping coverage of transgender medical treatments for children in military families, the bill passed with bipartisan support.
Biden expressed strong opposition to the provision, citing concerns about targeting individuals based on gender identity and interfering with parents' rights to decide on their children's care. He emphasized the importance of ensuring service members do not have to choose between family healthcare and serving the nation.
