Whether the full extent of the House’s attack on the Pentagon’s DEIA apparatus makes it through remains to be seen.
The Pentagon’s push to implement diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) programs throughout the defense bureaucracy has earned it bruising headlines and a steady stream of criticism from congressional Republicans. With those lawmakers getting close to dismantling some key aspects of the Defense Department’s equity focus, the White House is making clear that maintaining them is a priority.
Lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee passed their version of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act, the annual policy bill, last month, embedding within it several provisions that would unwind existing DEIA programs. As that bill advances this week, the Biden administration said in a statement Monday that it “strongly opposes the House’s sweeping attempts to eliminate the Department’s longstanding DEIA efforts and related initiatives to promote a cohesive and inclusive force.
The current version of the bill would heavily restrict the Pentagon’s current DEIA-minded offices and policies. Among other things, the measures opposed by the White House would ban the military from having “drag queen story hours”; abolish the Defense Department’s office of diversity and inclusion; block the department from using educational and training materials that promote critical race theory; and impose new, stringent limits on pay for personnel involved in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.
In its statement, the White House suggested that these measures would make it more difficult to develop and maintain a “dignified, respectful, and safe workplace.”
“Legislation that reduces DoD’s ability to create a positive work environment and fully leverage the best our nation has to offer puts the Department at a strategic disadvantage,” it added.
The current provisions on the Pentagon’s DEIA programs are likely to stick as the bill advances through the House, considering that Republicans control the chamber. But with Democrats in control of the Senate, it’s not clear how much of that language will make it through.
One indication, though, is that the Senate Armed Services Committee recently passed its version of the defense-policy bill, which includes some provisions to curtail DEIA programs within the military, on a 24–1 vote last month. Republican members were able to include provisions such as Senator Roger Wicker’s MERIT Act, which would force the Defense Department to ignore demographic characteristics when making personnel decisions.
Whether the full extent of the House’s attack on the Pentagon’s DEIA apparatus makes it through remains to be seen, but it certainly looks like some aspects will be on the chopping block.