The measures stand no chance of passing in the Democratic-led Senate, which is planning to begin considering its own version of the bill next week.
Even if Republicans can muscle their bill through the House, the deep chasm between the chambers is expected to set off a protracted fight that could threaten Congress’s ability to maintain its six-decade track record of passing defense policy bills each year.
Representative Adam Smith of Washington, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, lamented the Republican approach to the legislation, saying it had ruined a bill that had emerged from the panel on a near-unanimous vote.
They spent weeks agitating for reluctant G.O.P.
leaders to include the socially conservative amendments in the defense bill debate, ultimately forcing the issue by threatening to block progress on the legislation until they got their way.
Persons:
Adam Smith of, Smith, “, Kevin McCarthy, G.O.P
Organizations:
Defense, Democratic, Armed Services, Republicans
Locations:
United States, Adam Smith of Washington