The language calling for an end to the effort is contained in a report accompanying the Senate’s annual defense policy bill, and it cites a Pentagon analysis showing that the military has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars and devoted millions of hours searching for extremism in its service branches, even though it is exceedingly uncommon.
“The committee believes that 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,” senators advised in the report.
The language, which was first reported by Roll Call, is nonbinding but “sends a strong signal to the Department of Defense that the Senate Armed Services Committee agrees the military should devote its time and resources to our most serious threats — China and Russia,” a Republican aide told The Washington Times.
The Pentagon vowed to investigate extremism after it was discovered that some of those arrested for participating in the Capitol riot were either former or current members of the military.
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“The committee believes that 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,” senators advised in the report.
The language, which was first reported by Roll Call, is nonbinding but “sends a strong signal to the Department of Defense that the Senate Armed Services Committee agrees the military should devote its time and resources to our most serious threats — China and Russia,” a Republican aide told The Washington Times.
The Pentagon vowed to investigate extremism after it was discovered that some of those arrested for participating in the Capitol riot were either former or current members of the military.
Defense bill directs Pentagon to end costly search for extremism in military ranks
Senate lawmakers want the military to end a program created after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol to eliminate White nationalists and other extremists from its ranks.