Advancing Justice | AAJC Opposes House-passed version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025
October 24, 2024An open letter urging Senate leaders to strike provisions that undermine efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion and accessibility in the military.
As the Senate enters into conference to resolve the differences between the House-passed version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (H.R. 8070), and the bill passed out of the Senate Armed Services Committee (S. 4638), as well as the Manager’s Package (S. Amdt. 3290) and a number of pre-negotiated amendments, we urge Majority Leader Schumer, Minority Leader McConnell, Speaker Johnson, and Minority Leader Jeffries to strike provisions that undermine efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion and accessibility, threaten the health and safety of LGBTQ+ servicemembers, or uphold discriminatory practices against communities of color that would not only foster extremist sentiment in the military but also jeopardize unit cohesion and force readiness.
Asian American representation in the Armed Forces is a necessity for military readiness. Since the Civil War, Asian Americans have fought with valor and integrity despite facing systemic prejudice in society and within the ranks. As of 2022, more than 125,000 members of the Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community were serving in the total military force. Even still, Asian Americans continue to be underrepresented in the ranks.