Missed Key Anti-Abortion Vote that Passed 208-207
Congressman Jamaal Bowman, on a recent visit to Mount Vernon
By Dan Murphy
Westchester Congressman Jamaal Bowman has been Missing in Action in the House of Representatives, and has not cast a vote since May 23, according to Politico. And one vote that Bowman missed is a vote on the National Defense Authorization Act.
The National Defense Authorization Act, (NDAA), authorizes funding levels for the U.S. Military. House Republicans included in the bill restrictions for service members and their families to access abortion care. Specifically, the bill would bar the Defense Department from paying for service members or their family who have to travel out of states for abortion care.
Democrat Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a Navy Veteran and member of the Armed Services Committee, said that Republicans were attempting to “shove their extremist culture war agenda down the throats of the American people.”
Bowman was absent for this vote, and his opponent, Westchester County Executive George Latimer reminded voters in the district about Bowman’s absence from more than 50 votes on the House floor over the past three weeks.
“Yesterday, 207 House Dems voted against the National Defense Authorization Act, which among other things further restricts the ability of servicemembers & their families to access abortion care. Jamaal Bowman missed the vote, causing it to pass by 1 single vote. I believe we should always prioritize #RealResultsNotRhetoric. My opponent has voted against key Democratic policies like @JoeBiden‘s infrastructure bill. Yesterday he could have stood on his principles & stopped this anti-choice, anti LGBTQ+ legislation from passing. He didn’t,” said Latimer on X.
Latimer’s reference to the 208-207 vote was for the House Rule for the 2025 House Defense Authorization Bill. And while the actual bill passed 217-199, if Bowman was present to vote against it, the Bill would have been defeated. In the House, if there is a tie, the item fails. Bowman was not present for either votes.
