Language accompanying the Senate Armed Services Committee’s National Defense Authorization Act draft would call on DOD to stop its efforts to root out extremism in the ranks, according to Roll Call. The language states that the committee opposes “spending additional time and resources to combat exceptionally rare instances of extremism in the military is an inappropriate use of taxpayer funds and should be discontinued by the Department of Defense immediately.”

All Democrats on the committee voted against the language. Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) joined Republicans to help the language get into the report.

Even if it is attached to a bill signed into law – far from certain – such language would not be binding.

The committee also added an amendment barring the military services from taking into account a state’s laws when issuing duty assignments, as Military.com reported.

“Allowing our service members to veto the needs of the service because they disagree with state or local laws could lead to a sorting of the military along ideological lines that would devastate readiness, unit cohesion, and the American people’s respect for their military,” said a spokesperson for Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), the amendment’s sponsor.

Space Force photo by Dennis Rogers