It's the Ryan Lair Show on WNYC Good Monday morning, everyone.

We begin the week with news of the culture war being declared on the institution of the

United States government that fights are real wars.

As many of you have heard in the headlines, a version of the Annual Defense Authorization

Act has passed the Republican House of Representatives with culture war rounds being fired

in multiple directions.

The one getting the most attention is a provision banning the military from paying for the

travel expenses of troops seeking an abortion to a legal state like if they're stationed

in Texas, President Biden wants their travel expenses paid to their home state, for example,

to get that medical care.

The House on Friday said no, but that's not all.

You know how Republicans have made a centerpiece of their recent politics banning gender

transition surgery for minors because minors are too immature to make that choice, they

say, well, in the Defense Authorization Bill, they want to ban the adults in the military

from having transition transition surgeries or even hormone treatments covered by their

health insurance.

The adults who have enlisted voluntarily to serve their country and may have been prohibited

in their state from getting the transition surgery they may have wanted in high school.

And you know, in the military, your health insurance is the military system.

That health insurance could not cover those procedures and we're not done yet.

The Defense Authorization Bill, it's passed by the House, would eliminate many diversity

and inclusion programs and limit what flags may be flown at military bases in a new

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