Gottheimer and three New Jersey Republicans vote for National Defense Authorization Act

New Jersey progressive Democrat Lisa McCormick issued a scathing condemnation of Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05) and the three Republican representatives from New Jersey—Thomas Kean Jr. (R-NJ-07), Christopher Smith (R-NJ-04), and Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ-02)—for their votes in favor of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The bill, which passed the House on a largely party-line vote of 231-196, has been hijacked by extreme Republican amendments that attack transgender service members, eliminate climate initiatives, and threaten to derail critical military readiness with ideological pet projects.

“In a shameful betrayal of New Jersey’s values, Josh Gottheimer and his Republican colleagues chose to side with MAGA extremists over our troops and our national security,” said McCormick. “This NDAA is not a clean bill to support our servicemembers; it is a Trojan horse filled with poison pills that endanger civil rights, waste taxpayer money on outdated weapons, and ignore the real threats of the 21st century.”

McCormick’s criticism centers on several key failures of the legislation:

1. Attacks on Service Members: The bill includes multiple amendments targeting transgender individuals, including one that prohibits the Pentagon from providing gender-affirming medical care through TRICARE. “This is not about military readiness; it is about bullying a minority group and politicizing our armed forces,” McCormick stated. “It is a disgrace that any representative from New Jersey would endorse such discriminatory language.”
2. Reckless Fiscal Irresponsibility: While the bill authorizes a staggering $892.6 billion for national defense, it simultaneously forces the military to pour money into programs the Pentagon itself has tried to cancel, like the A-10 Warthog, while cutting funding for essential modernization efforts. “This is the worst kind of Washington hypocrisy: a blank check for defense contractors coupled with cruel cuts to programs that actually support our troops’ quality of life,” McCormick said.
3. Ignoring Pentagon Expertise: The legislation blatantly overrules military leaders by blocking the retirement of vulnerable aircraft like the A-10 and attempting to save the E-7 Wedgetail program, which the Air Force canceled due to survivability concerns against advanced adversaries. “Congressman Gottheimer and New Jersey's right-wing Republicans think they know better than our top military commanders. Their meddling undermines our strategic preparedness and forces our military to cling to expensive, obsolete technology,” McCormick argued.
4. Undermining National Security with Culture Wars: The bill eliminates funding for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and climate change initiatives, which McCormick labeled as essential for a modern, effective fighting force. “A cohesive, diverse military is a strong military. Preparing for climate-related threats to our bases and infrastructure is basic strategic planning. To strip these away to appease a far-right base is dangerously shortsighted,” she said.

McCormick contrasted their votes with the majority of the New Jersey delegation, including all the other Democratic representatives, who voted against the bill, except Mikie Sherrill who failed to vote on the legislation.

“DEI ensures every person is valued and empowered to thrive. It builds belonging, dismantles barriers, and unlocks innovation through our collective strength,” said McCormick. “DEI strengthens meritocracy and drives innovation. It’s a proven business advantage that benefits everyone by creating fairer, more competitive organizations rooted in American values of equal opportunity.”

“The contrast could not be clearer,” McCormick concluded. “Most of New Jersey’s representatives stood for a principled, serious approach to defense. Quasi-Republican Josh Gottheimer, and Republicans Thomas Kean, Christopher Smith, and Jeff Van Drew, however, chose to stand with the MAGA agenda of division and dysfunction. They voted for a bill that makes our country less safe, less united, and less prepared for the future. New Jersey deserves better.”