The clash between members of the House Armed Services Committee came during a markup of the panel's annual defense policy bill.
Republicans offered amendments to the draft version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would eliminate the Pentagon's chief diversity officer, cut off funding for DEI programs and enforce a review of DEI initiatives, among other moves.
The proposed amendments sparked fury among Democrats, who accused Republicans of widening divisions over race, gender identity and sexual orientation, ignoring legitimate national security needs to attack DEI and hurting recruitment efforts.
Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.), who is Black, battled with Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who introduced two of the amendments, with the lawmakers often cutting each other off to get their points across.
Horsford blasted the DEI amendments as an attempt from the GOP to drive a "wedge" in the military.
"The military knows that diversity of our soldiers is actually our strength," he said. "So why wouldn't we include diversity, equity and inclusion? But this is not about that — this is about a wedge issue."
Republicans hit back that DEI efforts were distracting the Pentagon from military readiness, hurting recruitment efforts and spreading divisions within the ranks.
Gaetz also argued that Congress essentially created its own problem with DEI in the military by authorizing the programs.
"I view this not as a wedge issue, not as divisive, but as remedial," he said. "We have to go in and remediate the bad things that have happened as a consequence of this embrace of radical gender ideology and radical race ideology."
All of the amendments are tabled for now, with a recorded vote on each one slated for a later date.
The tensions highlight a growing divide between the GOP and Democrats on DEI efforts broadly but also specifically in the military, a divide that has only grown more contentious after Republicans took over the House in January.
The House Armed Services panel has held hearings this year on DEI, with the GOP often grilling Pentagon officials for their efforts to advance diversity in the armed forces. Defense officials have said that a diverse military not only accurately represents the nation but also creates a more capable fighting force.
Republicans have also hammered the Pentagon over drag shows, leading to a newly enforced ban on the events across military bases.
The committee clash is also likely a preview of more to come when the full House debates the NDAA, which is crucial to fund the Defense Department's discretionary spending, later this year.
Read the full report at TheHill.com.
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