The 20 or so ultra-representatives who mark the passage to the Republican majority in the United States House of Representatives have just scored a new victory after taking their persistent and electoralist war against abortion to the military, the policies equality and LGBTI rights.
By a 219-210 vote, Republicans forced the House to pass a defense budget bill full of amendments to ban the Pentagon from all so-called woke policies in reference to the “awakening” movement against racism and discrimination emerged in the USA at the beginning of the 20th century.
Although the rollback measures are expected to be reversed when the bill is debated and voted on this week in the Democratic-majority Senate, it is the first time in decades that the annual military funding bill has passed a House of Congress without a broad bipartisan consensus and, on top of that, with the rejection of the party in government. In addition, the likely rejection of the ultra amendments in the Senate does not mean that it should be easy to agree on a compromise bill that passes both Houses.
At stake is the normal provision of funds to the military to establish its defense policy and sustain Pentagon programs, as well as to raise the pay of the troops.
Two of the amendments introduced by the ultras and accepted by almost all Republicans – plus a few Democrats on some points – seek to prohibit the Pentagon from paying travel expenses for abortions and providing health care coverage for gender transition surgeries or therapies. Other provisions establish: the elimination of the offices of diversity, equity and inclusion of the Department of Defense, as well as the positions assigned to them; the annulment of positive discrimination policies in admission decisions to military academies; the veto on the purchase of books that are considered to contain pornographic material or “adopt a radical gender ideology”; the banning of any teaching that qualifies the country or its founding documents as racist, and the non-acceptance of Joe Biden’s executive orders on climate change.
The president of the Lower House, Kevin McCarthy, defended with apparent conviction the law approved under pressure from those ultras who made him sweat so much – and so high a political mortgage they made him pay, as it turns out – to give him his vote in the election to the position, in January. “A military cannot defend itself if you train it in woke ideas,” said McCarthy.
Democrats countered that the proposed amendments would discourage women, transgender people and minorities from enlisting. Which, according to the Democratic chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Adam Smith, “would undermine our ability to meet national security objectives.”
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the bill passed by the House “will not make it to President Biden’s desk” as it is now written.
The approved budget totals $886 billion and includes a 5.2 percent pay increase for military personnel; more funds for Ukraine in its war with Russia, and measures to face the “threats” facing the country, with special emphasis on the challenges of China.
