Staff Reports
Republican Rep. Greg Steube, from Florida, is introducing a new bill to eliminate federal funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in the military. In an advance copy of the bill obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation, the “Eliminate DEI in the Military Act” would prohibit any educational activities, programs, and appointments in the Department of Defense, service academies, or any branch of the U.S. military from utilizing federal funds.
🚨EXCLUSIVE🚨 from @micaela_burrow @RepGregSteube To Introduce Bill Aimed At Defunding The Military's Diversity Efforts https://t.co/ukCHsB1ZBC
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) May 11, 2023
Steube believes that the “divisive and racist” policies that prioritize racial and gender diversity are contributing to the military recruiting crisis. By taking away the emphasis on merit-based achievement, the DEI policies are leading to the vulnerability of American citizens which should be the primary focus of the military, according to him.
If you are selecting individuals based solely on their race, it’s not “inclusive” – it’s discriminatory.
The military is apparently willing to sacrifice performance standards for woke policies that will only hurt our readiness and recruitment. https://t.co/eq3e2xMTTW
— Congressman Greg Steube (@RepGregSteube) May 10, 2023
During the interview, Steube cited the recent program reported by the Daily Caller News Foundation in 2021. The Air Force Training Command was responsible for conducting this program to find out if “clustering” racial minorities and female candidates into one class could increase graduation rates among underrepresented groups. Officers involved in the program alleged discrimination against white-male candidates and questioned if prioritizing gender and race over performance was indeed an effective strategy.
In Steube’s opinion, these programs not only narrow the scope for future military personnel but also divide them based on race and gender. Steube stated that the nation’s military has become engulfed in left-wing propaganda under the Biden administration, and these DEI programs are only threatening to worsen recruitment and retention of military personnel.
The Air Force has expressed concern about the perceived lack of racial diversity among higher-level officers and specialty career fields. However, top officials denied that DEI programs are contributing to recruitment problems.
Despite their claims, Steube believes that these practices may sacrifice safety by prioritizing gender and racial diversity over merit, which ultimately proves to be harmful to the nation’s security. It is for this reason Steube introduced his bill, which is a good step towards dissolving a contagious, divisive notion that only undermines the merit-based system in the military.
