After voting against H.R. 2670, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Representative John Carter (R-TX-31) released the following statement.

 

"Earlier this year, the House passed a strong, responsible NDAA that focused on military readiness and deterrence. Unfortunately, today's NDAA was not that bill, and while it had some strengths to it, it ultimately included several poison pills that I could not support.

 

"The first is that there is absolutely no rhyme or reason why taxpayers' hard-earned dollars should subsidize drag shows and gender reassignment surgeries in our military. Not only is it a violation of our constituents' trust in us to protect their tax dollars, it is also a direct example of why military recruiting numbers are down. The woke nonsense occurring in America's military is damaging to our troop readiness and culture. If we want a strong military, we must quit following the left down the road to their woke army.

 

"Secondly, a clean FISA reauthorization should not have been coupled with the NDAA. FISA has been abused in violation of the Fourth Amendment. Any reauthorization should have had safeguards in place to protect Americans' privacy as guaranteed by the Constitution.

 

"My constituents sent me to Washington to stand up for Texas-style common sense, follow the Constitution, and protect their tax dollars. For that reason, I voted against today's negotiated NDAA."