Initially, the House Armed Services Committee passed the bill with broad bipartisan support, 57-1, on May 22. Despite this support, the bill included several clauses aimed at “ending the radical woke ideology being forced on our servicemen and women,” according to the Republican majority, by eliminating affirmative action at military academies and restricting the DOD from implementing new climate change rules or hiring diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) staff.
Controversial Amendments Lead to Partisan Split
However, amendments introduced during floor debate from Wednesday through Friday, which Democrats referred to as “culture war” amendments, led most Democrats to vote against the final version of the bill. These amendments include prohibitions on using DOD funds for implementing climate change-related executive orders, eliminating DEI offices and staff within the DOD, and barring the use of DOD funds for gender-affirming treatments or abortion services.
Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the Democratic ranking member on the Armed Services Committee, urged lawmakers not to “undercut those efforts” by the DOD to recruit from a diverse talent pool. “We need to be able to access all the talent in this country,” he said. “Not just white men. We need to recruit women. We need to recruit from communities of color. We need to recruit from the LGBT community. That is crucial to making sure we have the talent we need.”
Quality of Life and Military Enhancements
Quality of life provisions in the bill include restoring the basic housing allowance for troops to 100% of average regional housing costs, reversing a 2016 cut, and more than $1.1 billion to improve housing conditions at military barracks. The bill also funds child care fee assistance programs, recruitment and retention of child care workers, a permanent paid fellowship program for military spouses, and a 19.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members.
