Last Updated on February 1, 2023
U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) has introduced a bill that would eliminate the positions of Chief Diversity Officer and Senior Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion at the Pentagon, as well as additional positions with similar functions, according to a report from Breitbart News.
The bill, which is titled the “Restoring Military Focus Act,” would eliminate the position of Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, which is appointed by the Secretary of Defense. It would also eliminate the position of Senior Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion appointed by the Secretary of each military department, and prohibit the use of federal funds to establish any similar positions at the Department of Defense, Breitbart reported.
“The Pentagon’s job is to develop our men and women in the Armed Forces into a united, lethal, and battle-ready force to defeat our enemies and defend our interests. It is not supposed to be a woke social engineering experiment wrapped in a uniform,” Roy said in a statement. The American people gave House Republicans the power of the purse in November; we need to deliver on our promises and restore mission focus to our Armed Forces.
One proponent of the bill stated, “We need to stop the politicization of the Department of Defense and keep our Armed Forces focused on their goal of defending our national security. The Restoring Military Focus Act is an important and necessary step to push back against the progressive agenda at the Department of Defense.”
The proposal comes as the U.S. military continues to struggle with recruiting woes across all branches. A number of retired and current military personnel, as well as a number of elected Republicans, have blamed increased politicization of the armed forces under Joe Biden.
In one notable example, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin ordered immediate changes to DOD policy in order to combat “extremism” in the U.S. military. “Austin is establishing a countering extremism working group led by Bishop Garrison, the senior advisor on human capital and diversity, equity and inclusion. The group will examine how the services implement these immediate actions and also work toward intermediate and long-range goals,” reads a DOD press release from January, 2021.
Thousands of troops were also ejected from the military over refusal to take a COVID-19 vaccine, which was mandated by President Biden.
US Army's Recruiting Crisis Worsens As Test Scores Drop, Disqualifications Rates Surge https://t.co/hhBjG2j8ig
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) September 17, 2022
“We need to stop the politicization of the Department of Defense and keep our Armed Forces focused on their goal of defending our national security. The Restoring Military Focus Act is an important and necessary step to push back against the progressive agenda at the Department of Defense,” stated an unnamed proponent of Roy’s bill, according to Breitbart News. “Not only are these positions a waste of hard earned tax-payers dollars, but they also undermine and distract from the purpose of the U.S. military.”
The Act would repeal Sec. 913 of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). “The Chief Diversity Officer (1) is responsible for providing advice on policy, oversight, guidance, and coordination for all matters of the Department of Defense related to diversity and inclusion; (2) advises the Secretary of Defense, the Secretaries of the military departments, and the heads of all other elements of the Department with regard to matters of diversity and inclusion; (3) shall establish and maintain a Department of Defense strategic plan that publicly states a diversity definition, vision, and goals for the Department;” reads the 2021 NDAA.
Roy’s bill has 10 additional co-sponsors, including U.S. Reps. Paul Godar (R-AZ), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), Matt Rosendale (R-MT), Andy Ogles (R-TN), Mary Miller (R-IL), Josh Brecheen (R-OK), Cory Mills (R-FL), Dan Bishop (R-NC), and Tom McClintock (R-CA).