The Defense Department asked for $114 million this week for initiatives promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA).
This request marks the Pentagon’s largest ever funding ask for DEIA and comes as the agency failed its sixth audit of its accounts in as many years.
Pentagon officials stated that the funding push aligns with President Biden’s budget proposal for this year and illustrates the Pentagon’s commitment to diversity activities.
Republican lawmakers criticized the $114 million request as an example of the military prioritizing liberal social policies over the recruiting crisis and warfighting.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia expressed her frustration with the request, questioning whether the military should prioritize being a lethal fighting force or focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
The Defense Department declined to comment on the criticism, stating that it is inappropriate to comment on pending legislation.
The Pentagon had never completed an audit until 2018 and has not passed one since taking on the task of auditing its over $3 trillion in assets. The department’s chief financial officer, Michael McCord, expressed that “things are showing progress [but] it’s not enough.”
Despite some progress, the Pentagon made the same amount of progress as in the previous year’s audit. The agency completed only seven of the 29 required sub-audits, the same tally as the year before.
Representative Byron Donalds of Florida criticized President Biden’s leadership and linked the Pentagon’s DEIA mission to the chaos around the globe.
The criticism against the funding request follows the passage of the $886 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by the GOP-led House, which included measures to reduce diversity, equity, and inclusion positions in the military. However, this policy faces opposition from the Democrat-led Senate.
Both chambers have passed their respective versions of the NDAA in July but have yet to meet in conference to finalize the bill.
