The U.S. House recently approved the latest National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with the usual expenditures that Republicans want to see when it comes to our national defense.

But, your representative in Congress, Jim Banks (R), said it was necessary to have a few other provisions within the NDAA given today’s political climate. Banks insisted that gender-affirming care for transgender service members as well as abortion services not be covered by the U.S. military as part of the measure.

“The military has no business funding transgender surgeries, and it’s a shame that the Biden administration has opened the door for that to happen to begin with,” Banks said. “The Biden administration has inserted cultural issues and their radical agenda into the military.”

Researchers estimate as many as 15,000 transgender people serve in the armed forces at any given time. Banks told WISH-TV that soldiers need to be focused on protecting the nation.

“Our military should be focused on fighting wars against our enemies like China,” he said. “Not on advancing the cultural left-wing socialist agenda of the Biden administration.”

Additionally, Banks backed a pair of unsuccessful amendments targeting military aid to Ukraine. One would have blocked the sale of cluster munitions to that country and the other would have stripped $300 million worth of funding.